The Story of 'The Magic Flute'
Read the synopsis of 'The Magic Flute' before you view the programme. Read also a short biography of Mozart and the background to this last opera. Also find out about Mozart's other operas, including the three great da Ponte operas ('Don Giovanni', 'The Marriage of Figaro' and 'Così fan tutte' – all written in Italian). Look up the meaning of the word 'Singspiel' and compare this with the word 'recitative' and ask your teacher to play you recordings of Mozart operas where these words can be applied to the compositions. Compare arias sung in German and Italian. Can you detect any difference in the musical soundscape when using either language?

This will be invaluable in your further understanding of the programme and of other operatic works by Mozart.

The Age of Reason and Feeling: 'The Enlightenment'
In the eighteenth century, the Freemasons were a secret society, with an interest in an ancient magical wisdom with links to ancient Egypt and religious sects in the Middle East. Freemasons were influenced by a hermetic knowledge consisting of symbols and arcane knowledge. The Masonic lodges of the late Enlightenment were the focus for the discussion and transmission of democratic and humanitarian ideals. 'The Magic Flute' is an example of a Masonic allegory. The opera, although not explicitly set in ancient times, does feature temples to Reason, Wisdom and Nature and a temple to the Sun and choruses are sung to the Egyptian goddess Isis and her consort Osiris. The High Priest is called Sarastro (similar in name to the ancient Middle Eastern cult figure Zoraster with links to a fire god).

Task:
Find out more information about The Rosicrucians, Freemasons and the English mystic Francis Bacon and his Invisible College. Also find out about other artists and musicians who have been involved in secret societies or movements such as William Blake and Goethe.