The Trials and Tribulations of Love
Mozart’s “The Magic Flute” balances humorous moments with dark undertones, having the perfect amount of laughs and drama. The opera begins with a funny scene wherein The three ladies, after defeating the serpent who was attacking Tamino, fight over which one of them should stay for when Tamino wakes up in a very Mean Girls-esque fashion. When Tamino truly wakes up, the three ladies have all left and it is the birdcatcher, Papageno, whom he meets. Papageno gladly takes the credit for slaying the beast, but the three ladies come back and place a magical padlock on his mouth, telling him not to lie. If only humility and truthfulness could be taught that way in real life–I’m sure they would be much more prevalent traits.
The “love at first sight” trope comes into play when Tamino sees the portrait of Pamina, and from that moment on it is solidified that the opera will detail a hero’s journey fueled by love. The beginning gave me a Disney movie sort of vibe mixed with a Shakespearian play (minus the tragedy). I vividly imagined the characters in “The Magic Flute” as cartoonish characters from Disney movies. The Queen of the Night evoked the image of Yzma from “The Emperor’s New Groove,” though her personality reminded me of other villainous female antagonists such as Lady Macbeth or even Cersei Lannister. It was definitely a plot twist when it is revealed that the Queen of the Night, not Sarastro, is the evil one.
Romantic love is definitely a big theme throughout the opera, and so are the dramatics that come along with it. Pamina believes Tamino will not speak to her because he does not love her anymore, even though he must stay silent as he is partaking in a trial to prove himself worthy of Pamina. Papageno sees his love for merely a moment when an old woman he was flirting with turns into a young woman, but she disappears soon after and Papageno is informed that he is not yet worthy of her. When Pamina and Papageno both feel they have lost the one they love–even though they have known each other for a short amount of time–they attempt suicide. As I was reading of these characters’ woes due to the loss of their short-lived love, I wanted to summon Youtube user Sassy Gay Friend to offer these characters some sage advice.
The ending felt cliche and yet justified. Sarastro proclaims that the sun has defeated the night and we know love has triumphed for our heroes. Papageno and Papagena speak of the family they will have, while Tamino and Pamina, with the help of the magic flute, go through Tamino’s trials together. I could almost see the end credits fading into the Walt Disney logo. Though thematically I felt that “The Magic Flute” held many similarities to those of Shakespeare’s plays, I did find the ending much more gratifying than any of Shakespeare’s in which, to put it simply, everybody dies. As cliche as it may sound, I believe a hopeful ending is more fulfilling than a tragic one.
