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Die Zauberflöte was an enormous success internationally since its premier, due to its
compositional mastery which combined existing trends with novel innovations. Composed in
1791, this opera is considered the greatest German Singspiel of all time.
As a Singspiel, Die Zauberflöte combines popular melodies and simple, strophic folk
songs with the Italianate musical style that was dominating the Singspiele of the time. The opera
features the typical Singspiel dances, marches, a principal comic character (Papageno), and a
wide range of vocal difficulty among characters since Singspiel troupes contained both amateur
singers and experienced ones. Though, the length of musical numbers and their complexity was
Die Zauberflöte is considered innovative for its wide range of musical styles, its use of
motifs, its incorporation of Masonic ideals, and its novel harmony, simplicity and form. As a
Singspiel, the spoken dialogue separating musical numbers allowed Mozart to incorporate an
“unprecedented stylistic range” ¹ (Rushton) of musical elements including lyrical comedy, folk
song, romantic-style arias, opera seria, chorales, marches, dances, and more. These different
musical forms and orchestrations served the story by representing the unique characters and
situations. The motifs in Die Zauberflöte laid the foundation to Wagner’s leitmotif by introducing
motivic repetition, specific keys and instrumentation linked to characters and situations.
Furthermore Mozart incorporated his Masonic beliefs by setting musical elements in groups of
three - chords, rhythms and motifs. He also used tonalities associated with masonic music, such
as E-flat major, as well as “ritual music” ¹ (Rushton) in Sarastro’s songs. His use of three
trombones, a basset horn and xylophone was certainly unorthodox for an opera orchestra.
While the simplistic style galant was dominating Europe during Mozart’s time as a
techniques of counterpoint. Mozart’s later works were much more simplified, containing
“distilled melodies, pure harmonies and luminous textures” ² (Gutmann), but his music was still
sometimes seen as “too audacious and complex” ³ (Eisen). His use of rich and chromatic
harmony, formal innovation, motivic development and counterpoint made him a unique
compositional master who at times foreshadowed elements of the Romantic, and at times
reminisced about Baroque intricacies. He largely drew influences from the structures and
techniques of Bach, the lyrical Italian opera and its overture, and the simplistic style galant of the
time. His later operas feature subtle changes in instrumentation, texture and color to show
emotional depth.
Die Zauberflöte has always fascinated me due to its abstract fantasy world and its
Commedia dell’arte stock characters. I’m more drawn to realism and verismo, or the Mozart
DaPonte operas. Like many critics over the years, I’ve had trouble connecting to the story and
text of Die Zauberflöte, and I agree with these critics that the music is what really carries this
opera through and makes it such a great work. By now I know the melodies of all the character’s
arias like the back of my hand, they are so memorable and unique to each character. In my
humble opinion, I think Mozart invented the Dramatic Coloratura fach with his Queen of the
Night, Konstanze, Fiordiligi, Madame Herz and Elektra. He wrote the voice parts for his operas
as if they were custom-fit for particular singers, which makes it a unique challenge to perform.
Sources:
¹ Rushton, J. (2002). Zauberflöte, Die. Grove Music Online. Retrieved 24 May. 2020,
from https://www-oxfordmusiconline-
com.ezproxy.depaul.edu/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-
9781561592630-e-5000907810
² Gutmann, P. (2015). Mozart Die Zauberflöte. Classical Notes. Retrieved 24 May. 2020,
from http://www.classicalnotes.net/opera/zauberflote.html
³ Eisen, C., & Sadie, S. (2001). Mozart, (Johann Chrysostom) Wolfgang Amadeus. Grove
com.ezproxy.depaul.edu/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-
9781561592630-e-6002278233.
Branscombe, P., & Bauman, T. (2001). Singspiel. Grove Music Online. Retrieved 24
com.ezproxy.depaul.edu/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-
9781561592630-e-0000025877.
Bridges, K. “Outline of French German and English Opera in the 18th Century" Opera