Freemasonry, the illuminati, and a dark plot to murder one of music’s geniuses; this was a popular conspiracy theory regarding Mozart’s opera Die Zauberflöte. It has long been discredited but is still passed down despite one glaring error; Mozart’s librettist, Emanuel Schikaneder would have been more responsible for the content than he. But what specifically makes the Magic Flute a masonic opera?
The answer lies in several aspects of the opera. The most obvious is the hero’s quest, the second act trials and initiation of Tamino. The prince goes from ignorance and night, symbolized by the Queen, to light and knowledge embodied by Sarastro and articulated in his final line. After driving away the Queen and her ignorance he triumphantly states, “Die Strahlen der Sonne vertreiben die Nacht” (the suns rays drive away the night). Initiates into the masonic order faced trials, albeit none quite so mystical, in order to join the group of enlightened men. Women were, and still are to this day, not officially welcomed as initiates.
Various other masonic tenets are featured in the work including Egyptian mysticism and the number three. In addition to Mozart the fascination with the ancient past can be see on the dollar bill, for a great number of our founding fathers were freemasons. Mozart and Schikaneder chose the Egyptian setting to further highlight Egyptian symbolism. The number three is also quite important in the opera, from the three chords at the opening to the persistent key of E- flat (notated with three flats). The Masonic order focused around three initiate levels, three morals and many other utterances of that number; most likely deriving from the Christian holy trinity though at this point completely secular.
The most important Masonic tenets in the opera are tolerance and enlightenment. The Freemasons valued knowledge and acceptance, something which often made them targets of authority. When the Magic Flute was premiered, the masons and entered a renewed state of persecution under Emperor Joseph II. This makes the presentation of a masonic message of tolerance all the bolder. This message has relevance today and is summed comically driven home by Papageno’s aria in which his mouth is locked for telling lies. The cast states, “Bekämen doch die Lügner alle ein solches Schloß vor ihren Mund, stat Haß, Verleumdung, schwarzer Galle, bestände Lieb und Bruderbund” (If all liars had such a lock on their mouth, then hate and slander would become love and brotherhood).
The answer lies in several aspects of the opera. The most obvious is the hero’s quest, the second act trials and initiation of Tamino. The prince goes from ignorance and night, symbolized by the Queen, to light and knowledge embodied by Sarastro and articulated in his final line. After driving away the Queen and her ignorance he triumphantly states, “Die Strahlen der Sonne vertreiben die Nacht” (the suns rays drive away the night). Initiates into the masonic order faced trials, albeit none quite so mystical, in order to join the group of enlightened men. Women were, and still are to this day, not officially welcomed as initiates.
Various other masonic tenets are featured in the work including Egyptian mysticism and the number three. In addition to Mozart the fascination with the ancient past can be see on the dollar bill, for a great number of our founding fathers were freemasons. Mozart and Schikaneder chose the Egyptian setting to further highlight Egyptian symbolism. The number three is also quite important in the opera, from the three chords at the opening to the persistent key of E- flat (notated with three flats). The Masonic order focused around three initiate levels, three morals and many other utterances of that number; most likely deriving from the Christian holy trinity though at this point completely secular.
The most important Masonic tenets in the opera are tolerance and enlightenment. The Freemasons valued knowledge and acceptance, something which often made them targets of authority. When the Magic Flute was premiered, the masons and entered a renewed state of persecution under Emperor Joseph II. This makes the presentation of a masonic message of tolerance all the bolder. This message has relevance today and is summed comically driven home by Papageno’s aria in which his mouth is locked for telling lies. The cast states, “Bekämen doch die Lügner alle ein solches Schloß vor ihren Mund, stat Haß, Verleumdung, schwarzer Galle, bestände Lieb und Bruderbund” (If all liars had such a lock on their mouth, then hate and slander would become love and brotherhood).
