The ballet in two acts
W.A. Mozart
E. Shikaneder's libretto reworded by A. Petrov is based on the similarly-named opera of W.A. Mozart Musical edition – Andrey Petrov
Orchestral edition – Vladimir Kachesov
The choreographer – Andrey Petrov
Artists-set designers – Anzhelo Sal and Alfredo Corno (Italy)
The costumer– Olga Polyanskaya
One of the best-known creations of W.A. Mozart is staged as the ballet for the first time
Emanuel Schikaneder's libretto reworded by the art director of the theater "Kremlin ballet" Andrey Petrov is a history about love of a young man and a girl which have to overcome many obstacles to be together and to understand whether they are worthy each other. Flaming loving hearts struggle with the darkness and deception, laws of wisdom and kindness subordinate instincts. On this hard way light forces help the young people (the wizard Zarastro – the wise man, seer) and dark forces disturb them in every possible way (The queen of the night). But the main mover of the plot is the Mozart's divine music with its magic flute and magic hand bells.
The leading soloists of Kremlin Ballet Theatre are occupied in this performance:
The national actress of Russia Natalya Balakhnicheva, the honored actress of Russia Aleksandra Timofeyeva, the honored artist of Russia Mikhail Martynyuk, Irina Ablitsova, Alice Aslanova, Kirill Ermolenko.
The performance is accompanied by the Symphony Orchestra Radio Orpheus (Artistic managing director and Principal conductor - Sergey Kondrashov)
Act I
Prologue
Small Mozart plays a harpsichord and is amused with a magic lantern: paper little dragon suddenly gets the huge sizes …
1 scene. «In mountains»
Escaping from the Dragon, Prince Tamino has lost his way in mountains. He’s rescued by three ladies - maids of honour of the Tsarina of Night.
Having regained consciousness, Prince sees fowler Papageno, who pretends that he has rescued Tamino. The Ladies are revolted by bragging and punish the deceiver. They inform Prince that he was rescued by Tsarina of Night. She sends him a portrait of her daughter Pamina. Tamino falls in love with a portrait.
2 scene. «Mountains part»
Tsarina of Night assures Prince Tamino that magician Zarastro has stolen Pamina. The prince goes to rescue the girl. He receives from Tsarina a magic flute which will help to overcome the evil, and Papageno gets the magic hand bells, for what he is obliged to serve the Prince.
3 scene. «Again mountains»
Accompanied by three pages Tamino and Papageno starts their way.
4 scene. "Castle of Zarastro"
Monostatos is ordered to protect Pamina and should comply with her requests, instead he scoffs at her and puts her into iron. He is secretly in love with her.
Papageno gets into a room where the unfortunate is hidden. He and Monostatos are frightened, seeing each other. Monostatos escapes. Papageno tells Pamina about Prince Tamino who has fallen in love with her. The girl is intrigued and agrees to run away. Monostatos rushes to a pursuit.
5 scene. «A sacred grove in front of the Temple»
In a sacred grove the pages shows Tamino the road to the castle of Zarastro.
The prince is ready for everything to rescue the beauty and to marry her. Aspiring to get into the castle and to call Pamina, Tamino starts playing a magic flute.
Wild animals listen with pleasure to his playing, reminding enthusiastic musical critics.
Tamino runs on a sound of a pipe of the fowler. Papageno and Pamina are overtaken by a pursuit but suddenly the magic hand bells sound! Monostatos and his soldiers start dance and run away.
Tamino and Pamina meet at last. Under bewitching sounds of a magic flute flying in the air the love is born in their hearts.
With his suit appears magician Zarastro. Pamina complains to him of Monostatos who in his turn discredits Tamino. But Zarastro - is wise: Monostatos deserves his punishment for his lies, but the enamoured should be for a while separated, because a number of tests before they can incorporate.
Act II
6 scene. «A palm garden»
In a sacred palm garden Zarastro says to priests that Tamino and Pamina are intended for each other, and that Tsarina of Night wishes to destroy the Sun and Wisdom Temple. It is necessary to accept Tamino in number of devoted, and with his help prevent a gloom of Night to eclipse Sun and Wisdom light. But before that Prince needs to be tested. Zarastro uplifts entreaty to gods. Priests blow in sacred trumpets.
7 scene. «A hall of tests»
Night. Tamino and Papageno stay in darkness. The thunder roars. Priests with torches prophesy happiness not only Tamino, but also Papageno. Having mastered all tests the Fowler too can find the girlfriend to himself.
Three ladies - maids of honour of Tsarina of Night frighten Tamino and Papageno of death. Only the fowler fears, but to Prince the reason orders to hold his feelings and remain firm and proof.
8 scene. «A palm garden at night»
Monostatos creeps to Pamina sleeping at garden pavilion to kiss her. Occurrence of Tsarina of Night forces him to hide. Tsarina of Night gives to the woken up daughter a dagger in order to kill Zarastro. Tsarina of Night disappears, and Monostatos who has overheard the conversation, again approaches Pamina. Having received resolute refusal, he raises a dagger over the girl, but having seen Zarastro, escapes.
The magician calms the sobbing beauty and promises her happiness with her favorite when he will pass all the tests.
9 scene. «A hall of tests»
A new trial awaits Tamino and Papageno: to sit without having stirred, whatever it happens. Tamino remains immovable, even when Pamina comes. The girl is upset of indifference of her favourite, without knowing the true reasons.
And the fowler cannot sit still. In revenge an old woman approaches him. However, soon she turns to be the playful beauty that at once changes the situation.
10 scene. «A palm garden at night»
Pamina, having been undeceived in love of Tamino, wishes to stab herself to death by a dagger, but pages stop the girl, convincing that her beloved is true to her.
