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Home , La finta semplice, Opera in German, The Magic Flute, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

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OPERAtunities Musical Outreach Program

Fall 2006

Connecticut Lyric P.O. Box 1992 New London, CT 06320 (860) 861-0283

Funded by The Community Foundation of SE CT and The Bodenwein Public Benevolent Foundation

We’ve been invited to go to the opera! We’re going to see “The Magic ” by Wolfgang Mozart. How many of you have heard of the Mozart? (Please record results)

Does anybody know how long ago he lived? (Please record results)

What do you think of when you hear the word opera? (Please record results) an opera is really a play that is mostly sung, with costumes, scenery, acting and to go along with the singing. In most all of the words are sung. Have you ever noticed how music plays an important part in a movie, how it can tell you if the scene is spooky or exciting, sad or happy?

Well, the people from Connecticut Lyric Opera have started a new program, called OPERAtunities, to introduce kids like you – and adults too – to opera and , and they’ve given a couple of short stories to read and some music to listen to help you learn about Mozart and and get ready for the opera.

First, does anybody recognize this piece of music? (Play Track 1, ~ 30 seconds)

This is probably the most famous piece of classical music - does anybody know who wrote this? (Please record results)

That was by , his 5 th , and he wrote it almost 200 years ago.

Here’s another piece – I’ll bet a lot of you know this piece… (Play Track 2, ~ 30 seconds)

That was “The Wedding March” by from his “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Maybe you didn’t even know that was classical music.

Let’s play one last piece to see if you recognize it. (Play Track 3, ~ 30 seconds) Does anybody remember hearing it? (Please record results) What does this music make you think of? (Please record results) This piece is from Rossini’s funny opera, “The Barber of .” It’s been played in the movies, TV shows and even cartoons.

Now, onto Mozart.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart by Lisa Kramer Reichel (edited and abridged for OPERAtunities)

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born into a world filled with music on January 27, 1756 in the town of , . His father, , was a professional musician and composer and began giving music lessons to Mozart's sister, Nannerl, when she was seven. Wolfgang, who was barely three years old at the time, became very interested in the lessons, and soon Leopold was also giving little Wolfie music lessons.

By the age of four, he could memorize little pieces and play them perfectly. When he was five, he could compose short pieces – can you imagine, he could write music before he could write words! His father saw the talents of his children as a way to gain fame and fortune for the family, so at six, Wolfie set out with his family on a musical tour of Europe. He and his sister became known as the "Wonder Children" and amazed and entertained all over the courts of Europe.

Wolfie was very charming. While in at the home of Empress , he slipped and fell upon a polished floor. Maria Antoinette, who would later become the Queen of France, came to his rescue. He was so delighted that he pronounced, "Oh, how pretty you are! When I grow up, I will marry you."

Here’s a song that is said to have been written by Mozart at about this time. Let’s see if you can recognize it. (Play track 4, ~ 1 minute, until after first variation begins) Actually, nobody is really sure if he wrote the original or not, but he did write this and another 11 variations when he was older.

After they stopped touring, he began seriously composing. At twelve, he wrote his first opera, , and another followed the next year, . Even though he was soon considered a successful composer, he always felt frustrated by the lack of appreciation for his talents as well as always being underpaid. He didn’t want to have to beg for favors from nobility or to give lessons to untalented students, and wished he could find a position that would allow him to compose all the time.

Writing music was the only thing that set him free from his worries. Composing was as natural to him as eating and sleeping. He could work and rehearse all day and night. During Mozart's brief life, he produced a huge amount of beautiful music: over 600 different compositions in a wide range of musical forms. Here’s another one of his most famous pieces – this is the beginning a string called “.” (Play Track 5, ~ 30 seconds)

In 1782 he married Constanze Weber and they had six children, but only two boys survived. In the years following their marriage, Mozart was happy and experienced some professional success. He met and developed a relationship with the Austrian composer Haydn - “Papa Haydn” - whose music had inspired Mozart as a young boy. The friendship they shared was based on admiration and mutual respect and led to the enrichment of each man's music. The success of his operas, “” in 1786 and “” in 1787 gave Mozart great satisfaction.

He wrote his last opera when his friend, , asked him to write the music for a magical opera based on an oriental fairy tale. Although Mozart was very ill, he began writing an opera with musical selections that were framed with spoken dialogue known as a German or sung play. Mozart wrote the last notes of “The Magic Flute” on September 29, 1791 and it premiered in Vienna the very next day. He was not able to enjoy the success of his new opera and collapsed from exhaustion after the premiere. His health grew steadily worse until he died on December 5, 1791. Without a doubt, Mozart was one of the greatest of all time, and “The Magic Flute” is considered one of his masterpieces.

And now, “The Magic Flute”… (Play Track 6, ~ 30-45 seconds) The Story of “The Magic Flute”

In a dark forest, Prince Tamino faints as he is chased by a , but is rescued when Three Ladies of the Queen of the Night kill it with their magic. Tamino awakes and meets Papageno, the Queen’s bird catcher, who boasts that he killed the snake. (Play Track 7 until just after singing begins) Mozart wrote this , but don’t worry, the one we’re going to will be sung in English. The Ladies reappear and punish him for lying by putting a lock on his mouth. They then present Tamino to the Queen, who thinks he might be able to rescue her daughter, the beautiful Princess Pamina, who is being held captive by the evil sorcerer, Sarastro. She shows him a picture of Pamina and he falls instantly in love with her. The Queen promises Tamino that Pamina will be his if he can rescue her from Sarastro. The Ladies present the Prince with a Magic Flute whose music will protect him from danger. He is joined in his quest by Papageno, who has his lock removed after promising not to lie anymore, and he receives a gift of magic bells.

Papageno finds Pamina and rescues her from the wicked Monostatos. They set out in search of Tamino who uses his Magic Flute to charm the creatures of the forest. (Play Track 8, ~ 30 seconds) Just as they are about to captured, Papageno plays his magic bells, making Monostotos and his henchmen dance away enchanted. (Play Track 9, ~ 40 seconds, after chorus sings verse). Tamino then learns that Sarastro is holding Pamina captive to protect her from her mother and that in order to rescue his beloved, he must prove his honesty, faith and bravery. As Pamina and Tamino finally meet in the temple, he vows to prove himself worthy of her and agrees to undergo the trials of Sorastro’s brotherhood.

Sarastro informs the priests that Tamino and Papageno must go through severe tests to be worthy of entering the Temple of Light and prays that the two may be worthy of their goal. They are warned not to fail in their vow of silence. The three Ladies try to get them to abandon their quest, but they remain silent. The Queen gives Pamina a dagger and commands her to kill Sarastro. (Play Track 10, ~ 30-45 seconds)When Sarastro enters, she pleads for mercy for her mother and Sarastro assures her that vengeance is not on his mind. Tamino and Papageno are again urged to keep silence, but Papageno finds himself chattering with an old woman who claims to be his sweetheart. Pamina enters, and is overjoyed to see Tamino, but not knowing of his vow of silence, is distressed over his lack of response. Sarastro calms Pamina, then tells her and Tamino to say their final farewell to each other.

The old woman comes back and threatens Papageno if he does not swear to be true to her. He swears and she reveals herself to be young and attractive, but Papageno is warned off by a priest who says he is not worthy of her yet. Tamino arrives for the trials of fire and water, and Pamina joins him. Meanwhile, Papageno prepares to kill himself instead of facing life without a mate, and is joyfully reunited with Papagena. (Play Track 11, ~ 30-45 seconds) After Tamino and Pamina pass their trials, they help defeat Monostatos, the Queen and her Ladies who try to get revenge on Sarastro. (Play Track 12, until end)

Do you all remember when Papageno played his magic bells? Well, we’re going to be singing that little chorus at the performance with the other kids who are going to be there…