ACT I. Prince Tamino finds himself alone and lost in the forest. He is chased by a monstrous serpent and faints, but is saved by Three Ladies, attendants of the Queen of the Night (2). When the Three Ladies disappear, the birdcatcher Papageno arrives (3), wakes Tamino up and pretends that it was he who slew the monster. But the Ladies return and punish him by padlocking his mouth. They show Tamino a portrait of Pamina (4) and just then the Queen of the Night, Pamina’s mother, arrives in a clap of thunder. She tells Tamino that Pamina has been kidnapped by the evil Sarastro and asks him to rescue her, promising her daughter’s hand in marriage (5). The Ladies explain that Sarastro is the head of a group of priests of the Gods Isis and Osiris, and hands Tamino a Magic Flute, to help him against the wicked Sarastro. His companion on the adventure is to be Papageno, who is freed from the padlock and given a set of magic bells (6). Meanwhile, in Sarastro’s palace, the Moorish slave Monostatos is trying to seduce Pamina but is interrupted by Papageno and runs away (7). Papageno tells Pamina that Tamino will soon come to rescue her (8). Meanwhile, Tamino, guided by Three Spirits, has reached the three temples (9). Two of them are locked, but the third opens (10) and the High Priest, informs Tamino that Sarastro, far from being an evil wizard, is humanity’s benefactor (11). Tamino refuses to believe him and plays his Magic Flute (12). It is answered by the magic bells of Papageno, who has been searching for him with Pamina (13). They are being chased by Monostatos and his acolytes, but the sound of the magic instrument sends them fleeing (14). Sarastro appears (16) and Pamina asks to be forgiven for having tried to escape (17). Monostatos now arrives, dragging his prisoner Tamino, and Sarastro orders that the slave be punished for his attempted seduction of Pamina (18). Then he has the couple taken to the Temple of Trials, along with Papageno (19).
ACT II. In a wood, Sarastro tells the initiates to welcome Tamino, who is destined to wed Pamina, and they agree (2). In the Temple Tamino and Papageno undergo the first trial, that of silence. The Queen of the Night and her Ladies try to tempt them, but in vain (4). Meanwhile, Monostatos again sneaks up on Pamina, who is sleeping in a garden (5). But the Queen of the Night wakes her daughter and gives her a dagger, telling her to kill Sarastro (6). She refuses and Sarastro appears and tells her that it is not revenge but love that brings happiness (7). Then the second trial begins: both must remain silent once more and Pamina, finding that Tamino refuses to speak to her, believes he does no longer loves her and contemplates suicide (9), but is saved and reassured by the Three Spirits. Tamino is taken to the Door of Terror where he must undergo the trial of Fire and Water (10). Pamina, who has been following him, suggests he plays the Flute and he passes the test (16). Suddenly, Monostatos, the Queen of the Night and her acolytes arrive, intending to destroy Sarastro and his priests, but the earth swallows them up (19) and Sarastro triumphantly receives Tamino and Pamina and all those who love beauty and wisdom into the Temple of the Sun (20). |
