One of Mozart’s last works, the opera premiered in September 1791, and marked a major departure as a commercial piece instead of a royal commission. It was composed at a time of financial and familial instability, with Mozart’s wife expecting their second child while he supplemented his income through a busy schedule of piano recitals and music lessons.
Amid this financial turmoil, Mozart partnered friend and librettist Emmanuel Schikaneder in envisioning an opera with a basis in fairy tales popular in the era. Also influenced by Masonic rites, the opera combines elements of darkness and light, with an underlying message of hope, as the main character prince Tamino sets off on a quest and finds his way in an obstacle-ridden world.
Unlike previous Mozart operas, where the dialogue was sung, The Magic Flute takes the form of a Singspiel which, as with contemporary musicals, alternates spoken dialogue with singing. The arias, duets, and ensembles performed befit each character and range from those based on folk songs to those that reflect romantic currents in classical music of the time. In all, the opera stands as a moving testament of the potential Mozart still had toward the end of his life and at the height of his musical powers.