When did Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart complete The Magic Flute?
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart completed The Magic Flute in the final months of his life, finishing the score just weeks before his death on the 5th of December 1791.
Questions about The Magic Flute
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Where did The Magic Flute premiere and who conducted the first performance?
The Magic Flute premiered on the 30th of September 1791 at the Freihaus-Theater auf der Wieden in Vienna, and Mozart conducted the premiere himself.
What is the significance of the number three in The Magic Flute?
The number three recurs throughout The Magic Flute to reflect Masonic ideals of wisdom, reason, and nature, appearing in three ladies, three temples, three boys, and three chords in the overture.
Who sang the role of the Queen of the Night at the premiere of The Magic Flute?
Josepha Hofer, Mozart's sister-in-law, sang the role of the Queen of the Night at the premiere of The Magic Flute.
What instruments are included in the orchestration of The Magic Flute?
The Magic Flute is scored for two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, two horns, two trumpets, three trombones, timpani, and strings, along with a special steel instrument for Papageno's magic bells.
When was the first complete recording of The Magic Flute released?
The first complete recording of The Magic Flute was a live performance at the 1937 Salzburg Festival conducted by Arturo Toscanini, followed by the first studio recording in 1938 by Sir Thomas Beecham.