The Magic Flute opera comes to Valencia

The Magic Flute returns to Valencia once again. The Palau de les Arts hosts Mozart 's opera , bringing one of the most important works in the history of music back to the city. Understanding the sociocultural context in which it was created is essential to grasping the true significance of The Magic Flute in the world of opera.

The influence of the Enlightenment

The last decades of the 18th century brought about a true revolution in the cultural atmosphere of Vienna , the city where Mozart lived. Social discontent was a constant in Europe, since in almost every country the prevailing class structure meant that a very small group of wealthy people dominated the majority of the poor, who had neither the rights nor the resources to improve their situation and escape their circumstances.

The emergence of the middle class , largely thanks to the consequences of the Industrial Revolution, meant that power began to slowly change hands, and that the aristocracy gradually gave way to the emerging bourgeoisie.

The other major influence on late 18th-century Vienna was the Enlightenment , a philosophical movement that originated in France and exported its renewed ideals of liberty to the Austrian capital. This philosophy was based on the establishment of individual rights and, above all, freedom of thought. Some of the most significant changes this movement brought to Vienna included a belief in the power of reason to improve people's lives and correct injustices, as well as a reduction in censorship and child labor.

The Freemasonic movement and its influence on Mozart

In the context of the Enlightenment, the Freemasonic movement takes on special significance. Understanding what it meant to be a Freemason in 1791 , when The Magic Flute premiered, helps us see the opera from a different perspective.

Being a Freemason in this era meant opposing conventional religion, particularly Catholicism , which went so far as to excommunicate Freemasons on several occasions. It also meant standing with the French Revolution and its revolutionary ideals, from the rights of man to Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity.

The Freemasons aimed to serve the Age of Enlightenment, a goal similar to that of the character Sarastro and the priests who live with him in his palace. The priest follows the light and accuses the Queen of the Night of wanting to lead the world into darkness and superstition, while he chooses the Light, which symbolizes the philosophy of the Enlightenment. Ultimately, he can be considered the symbol of the Enlightenment thinkers in this opera.

For its part, Monostatos' dark skin is associated with the habits worn by the Jesuits, who are the great enemies of Freemasonry due to their monolithic ideology. In fact, even its name and the music that identifies it are related to this lack of nuance. 'Monos' means 'one,' and its melody often revolves around a single note or, at most, uses tonics and dominants.

The concept of magic also resonates with many of the great works of the Enlightenment, such as Voltaire's novels. In fact, one of the opera's greatest strengths lies in its libretto, which is as important as, or even more important than, its music to the final result of the work.

Mozart's vision of Enlightenment philosophy, reflected in his libretto, magnificently complements the virtually perfect music he created for The Magic Flute . The story oscillates between fairy tale and a profound philosophical exploration of the Enlightenment realities of late 18th-century Vienna.

Written from the imagination of its author, and with the characteristic approach of enlightened authors, the work is able, through this resource, to address what Mozart considers to be great themes of humanity: brotherhood, love, and music.

With The Magic Flute , Mozart proposes to create an entirely new world based on brotherhood as its essence, and which, therefore, is directly linked to the thought of the Enlightenment. In it, love becomes a path to understanding others, and music is the language with which to express emotions for which there are no words.

The power of music is another of the great themes of The Magic Flute , both in terms of Orphic references and enlightened symbolism.

In fact, in many passages of this opera, music is spoken of as the most important language of communication, the one that allows us to show the link with nature and the one that frees many people from slavery.

In addition, the music is combined with dance to offer scenes such as Tamino attracting the beasts of the forest, or Papageno's instrument creating rhythms that make Monostatos and his helpers dance.

In other words, music is what saves man, gives him knowledge, and allows him to express himself in a unique way.

Mozart also suggests that the pursuit of knowledge and truth —another element directly connected to Enlightenment philosophy—should not involve an ascetic renunciation of the world. Sarastro's priests seek divinity in love and all the richness and pleasure it provides.

The concept of man/humanity

It is worth noting the use of the word 'humanity' in the opera. Sarastro himself utters the word, which is also present in the works of other Freemasons such as Schiller and Beethoven.

This word is a direct reference to a new world , in which brotherhood and freedom are paramount. At one point, Sarastro states that Tamino is more than a prince, 'he is a man'.

This marvelous opera , which perfectly blends Mozart's finest scores with a libretto brimming with Masonic and Enlightenment references, was nearly banned in Vienna several times for being considered Jacobin propaganda . The Magic Flute is considered Mozart's most beautiful work and one of the most sublime in history, despite having to contend with political and philosophical prejudices. Furthermore, it contains one of the most famous soprano arias ever written : " Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen " ( Hell's vengeance boils in my heart ).

Paradoxically, it was also created during one of the most negative moments of the musician's life, when he fell out of favor with the arrival of Emperor Leopold II, just two months before his death.