Top Text Facts:

1. Mozart composed The Magic Flute towards the end of the Age of Enlightenment. The Age of

Enlightenment was inspired by the growth of modern science and the conflicts after the

Reformation.

2. The number 3 is significant throughout the whole opera. The chord E flat minor

(containing three flats) has a central role in all of the music. In addition, three chords in E

flat major are played at the beginning of the overture.

3. Mozart’s friend, Emanuel Schikaneder, was the librettist for The Magic Flute, managed the

opera house where it was initially performed, and played the role of Papageno.

4. Mozart and Schikaneder were both freemasons, which is most likely why the story of The

Magic Flute revolved around the idea of initiation.

5. The Magic Flute premiered in Vienna on September 30, 1791 with Mozart as the conductor.

6. The Magic Flute was the last opera Mozart wrote.

7. The story of The Magic Flute was based off of a fable written by Christoph Wieland (whose

name sounds awfully similar to Mrs. Wieand’s!)

8. Mozart’s The Magic Flute was so popular, it was performed over 200 times by the year 1800.

9. When Mozart wrote The Magic Flute, he wrote the music for the cast members playing each

part.

10. The love story of Tamino and Pamina is timeless because of the harmonic progressions in
their music which often includes a chromatic vocal line.