Short answers, pulled from the story.
The Magic Flute premiered on the 30th of September 1791 with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart conducting his own work. Emanuel Schikaneder directed the production at the Freihaus-Theater auf der Wieden while Mozart led the orchestra.
Schikaneder and Mozart embedded Freemason beliefs into the libretto using repeated references to the number three throughout the score. Scholars cite Ignaz von Born's essay On the mysteries of the Egyptians as a source for these symbolic elements within the drama.
Mozart scored The Magic Flute with two flutes doubling on piccolo, two oboes, two clarinets doubling basset horns, and two bassoons. Brass sections include two horns, two trumpets, and three trombones alongside timpani and strings.
Benedikt Schack sang Tamino while Emanuel Schikaneder played Papageno in the premiere cast. Josepha Hofer portrayed the Queen of the Night and Franz Xaver Gerl appeared as Sarastro.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart died on the 5th of December 1791 just two months after the opera premiered. He never witnessed the work reach its 100th performance which occurred in November 1792.