by Jennifer M
Originally published in Currents December 2003/January 2004, Children's Corner Column

At the suggestion of Judy W’s husband, Michael D, I decided to write this month’s column about Mozart’s The Magic Flute, my children’s (and Michael’s) favorite opera. Yes, I said my children’s favorite opera, and they are aged five and three (my one-year-old, however, is still learning to appreciate fine music). How did I get my kids interested in the opera? Well, for Christmas two years ago, my daughter received a story book in English with fabulous pictures about The Magic Flute from her godparents. Eventually, I noticed that the book also contained a CD with renditions of most of the famous arias from an original German production. My daughter fell in love with not only the story, but also the music. And I must say, it has also provided many an idea for birthday parties, puppet shows, Mardi Gras and Halloween costumes and other children’s activities.

The basic story is simple. A Prince needs to rescue a damsel in distress, falls in love with her, defeats the evil forces and all live happily ever after. You have an evil queen, a monster (be it snake, dragon or lizard), a comic bird-man, a benevolent king, a handsome prince, a dainty princess and a bad guy. Of course, the story can be read on a much deeper and highly symbolic level, but for children the basic facts provide enough fuel for their imaginations.

Tips for giving a Magic Flute Birthday Party:

• Have a puppet show. Outline the basic plot, incorporate bits of songs and have the kids jingle bells along with the hero.
• Games: Pin the feather on Papageno’s head, Topfschlagen with a magic wand, Freeze Dancing to numbers such as Der Vogelfänger bin ich ja or Schnelle Füße, rascher Mut or Ein Mädchen oder Weibchen.
• Gift Bags: Jingle Bells (with wooden handles, which can be painted by the kids at the party), Bade Tinti (a bath water color additive, completely environmentally correct) to cast a spell on bath time, magic bubbles and a home made cassette or CD of the nicest and most appealing arias so the children can listen to the music themselves at home.

Magic Flute Costume Ideas for Mardi Gras or Halloween

• Papageno/Pagagena: Jester-like costume, with feathers in hair, a jingle bell on a string around the neck and a bird cage backpack.
• Tamino/Pamina: Any prince or princess costume works here. A flute is a must for Tamino, either a real one or a homemade one.
• King Sorastro/Queen of the Night: Any king or queen costume works here as well. The Queen of the Night should, of course, have moons and stars as part of her costume, while Sorastro needs the sun as part of his.

Once your child is into the story and the music, you can just let your imagination run wild. Who knows, you might just find yourself taking an interest in an area that you never thought you would, and you can explore different operas together with your family.

Recommended books:

The Magic Flute. Retold by Anne Gatti. Illustrations by Peter Malone. Chronicle Books, 1997. (Includes CD with 16 songs). Order from Amazon.de by clicking on the book image to the left.

 

 

Prinz Tamino. Märchen und Papiertheater nach Mozarts Zauberflöte. Michael Sowa. Third Edition. Aufbau-Verlag, 2002. Order from Amazon.de by clicking on the book image to the left.