Three Ladies-in-Waiting to the QUEEN OF THE NIGHT; Three Youths of the Temple; Priests, Priestesses, Slaves, etc.
ACT I. SCENE IV.
PAPAGENO, TAMINO.
Air.
TAMINO.
Oh, beauteous form, with semblance fair,
No mortal may with thee compare!
What rapture does the sight impart.
What mingled feelings thrill my heart.
Oh, say from whence these tumults rise,
And fill this bosom with surprise?
Perchance 'tis love that wakes such bliss.
For 'tis no common feeing, this.
One moment might those eyes behold
The form whose semblance here I hold!
To clasp the fair one to my heart,
Would every mortal wish impart!
Till death would I her slave remain,
Nor ever murmur at the chain.
ACT I. SCENE V.
The Ladies, TAMINO, and PAPAGENO.
FIRST LADY.
With courage, oh, most gracious youth, now arm thyself. The Princess-
SECOND LADY.
Has commanded that your happiness be complete. If this youth saith she, possesseth as much courage and valor as tenderness of heart, my daughter is surely restored to me.
TAMINO.
Restored! What do I hear?
FIRST LADY.
An evil demon stole the beauteous maid away.
TAMINO.
Carried off! Where does the tyrant dwell? [Distressed.] Come, lead me to this haunt. I fly to save Pamina, even with my life. Ye gods, what's that?
FIRST LADY.
This is the harmony which heralds our good Queen.
SECOND LADY.
Behold, she comes! [Thunder]
THIRD LADY.
'Tis she.
ACT I. SCENE VI.
The QUEEN of the Temple, and the same.
Recitative.
QUEEN.
Fear not, beloved son.
Your innocence and piety are known to me.
It is yours, wise youth, it is yours to put an end
To the sorrows of an afflicted mother.
Air.
Here, 'mid griefs and dread alarms,
I weep the livelong night and day.
A daughter from my longing arms,
Torn by barbarous hands away.
I saw, imploring aid,
The struggles that she made.
heard the accents wild.
The wailings of my child:
Still the sounds impart
Chill horror to my heart.
To Heaven the loved one cried in vain,
Nor could a mother's arm restrain
The monster's rage, or aid obtain.
"HASTE! HASTE! HASTE!"
Air.
QUEEN.
Haste! haste! haste! and give the captive freedom,
The three Ladies-in-Waiting show Tamino the miniature portrait of a lovely maiden, whose magical beauty at once fills his heart with ardent love. Enter the Queen of the Night. She tells Tamino the portrait is that of her daughter, Pamina, who has been taken from her by a wicked sorcerer, Sarastro. The Queen of the Night has chosen Tamino to rescue her daughter, and as a reward Tamino will receive Pamina's hand in marriage. The Queen and her ladies then disappear.
Composer
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in 1756 in Salzburg, Austria. Examine his picture.
Zoom in and find Mozart's country of birth on the map of Europe below.
Mozart's father was a teacher and composer, so Mozart was exposed to music from a young age.
At the age of 3, Mozart watched his older sister, Nannerl, learn to play the clavier (a keyboard instrument).
At age 4 or 5, Mozart wrote his first small compositions.
As a youth, Mozart toured Europe with his family and performed as a child prodigy.
Over his short life, Mozart composed many musical works including operas, symphonies, and sonatas.
After suffering from an unknown illness, Mozart died at the age of 35 in 1791.
Enrichment
Activity 1: Recite the Opera Information
Recite the name of the composer, the name of the opera, and the act and scene(s) of the opera.
Activity 2: Recite the Dramatis Personae
Read aloud the Dramatis Personae.
Astrofiammante, QUEEN OF THE NIGHT.
PAMINA, her daughter.
PAPAGENO, a bird-catcher.
TAMINO, a handsome Egyptian prince.
MONOSTATOS, chief slave of the temple.
SARASTRO, high priest of Isis.
PAPAGENA.
Three Ladies-in-Waiting to the QUEEN OF THE NIGHT; Three Youths of the Temple; Priests, Priestesses, Slaves, etc.
Activity 3: Listen to the Opera While Reading the Text
Select roles to read as desired.
Play the opera music softly in the background.
Read aloud the scene according to your selected roles.
Activity 4: Narrate the Lesson
Narrate the lesson events aloud in your own words.
Activity 5: Follow Along with the Lyrics
Follow along with the German lyrics to the aria, 'Oh, don't tremble, my dear son,' starting at 13:43 and sung by the Queen of the Night in Act I. Scene I, who asks Tamino for his help in saving her daughter, Pamina.
Study the English translation in parentheses.
O zittre nicht, mein lieber Sohn, ----- (Do not tremble, my dear son,)
du bist unschuldig, weise, fromm ----- (you are innocent, wise, pious.)
Ein Jüngling so wie du, vermag am besten, ----- (A boy like you is best,)
dies tiefbetrübte Mutterherz zu trösten. ----- (able to comfort this deeply grieved mother's heart.)
***
Zum Leiden bin ich auserkoren, ----- (I have been chosen for suffering,)
denn meine Tochter fehlet mir. ----- (because my daughter misses me.)
Durch sie ging all mein Glück verloren, ----- (Through her, all my luck was lost,)
ein Bösewicht, ein Bösewicht entfloh mit ihr. ----- (a villain, a villain escaped with her.)
***
Noch seh' ich ihr Zittern ----- (I can still see her shaking)
mit bangem Erschüttern, ----- (with anxious shuddering,)
ihr ängstliches Beben, ----- (her fearful quivering,)
ihr schüchternes Streben. ----- (her frightened fleeing.)
***
Ich mußte sie mir rauben sehen. ----- (They stole her from me.)
'Ach helft! Ach helft!' – war alles was sie sprach ----- ('Oh help! Oh help! ' - was all she said)
allein vergebens war ihr Flehen, ----- (but her prayers were in vain,)
denn meine Hilfe war zu schwach. ----- (because my help was too weak.)
***
Du, du, du wirst sie zu befreien gehen, ----- (You, you, you will go forth,)
du wirst der Tochter Retter sein! ----- (you will be my daughter's savior!)
ja! du wirst der Tochter Retter sein. ----- (Yes! you will be my daughter's savior)
Und werd' ich dich als Sieger sehen, ----- (And if you are victorious,)
so sei sie dann auf ewig dein. ----- (she will be yours forever.)
References
'The Complete Opera Book' by Gustav Kobbé (CC0 1.0). Gutenberg.org. http://www.gutenberg.org/files/40540/40540-h/40540-h.htm#THE_MAGIC_FLUTE. n.p.
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