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Let us have fantasy, boldness, unexpectedness, enchantment -- above all, tenderness, morbidezza!
-- Bizet, letter to Edmond Galabert, quoted in W Dean, Bizet (1975)

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Opera connotes a high brow artistic entertainment. But to put it simply, opera is a musical drama. Don't be intimidated. Plunge in and learn about an opera today!

Synopsis of "The Magic Flute," by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Three ladies in the service of the Queen of the Night save the fainting Prince Tamino from a serpent (“A serpent! A monster!”). When they leave to tell the queen, the bird catcher Papageno bounces in and boasts to Tamino that it was he who killed the creature (“I’m Papageno”). The ladies return to give Tamino a portrait of the queen’s daughter, Pamina, who they say is enslaved by the evil Sarastro, and they padlock Papageno’s mouth for lying. Tamino falls in love with Pamina’s face in the portrait (“This portrait’s beauty”). The queen, appearing in a burst of thunder, is grieving over the loss of her daughter; she charges Tamino with Pamina’s rescue (“My fate is grief”). The ladies give a magic flute to Tamino and silver bells to Papageno to ensure their safety, appointing three spirits to guide them (“Hm! hm! hm! hm!”).

Sarastro’s slave Monostatos pursues Pamina (“You will not dare escape”) but is frightened away by the feather-covered Papageno, who tells Pamina that Tamino loves her and intends to save her. Led by the three spirits to the Temple of Sarastro, Tamino is advised by a high priest that it is the queen, not Sarastro, who is evil. Hearing that Pamina is safe, Tamino charms the animals with his flute, then rushes to follow the sound of Papageno’s pipes. Monostatos and his cohorts chase Papageno and Pamina but are left helpless by Papageno’s magic bells. Sarastro, entering in great ceremony (“Long life to Sarastro”), promises Pamina eventual freedom and punishes Monostatos. Pamina is enchanted by a glimpse of Tamino, who is led into the temple with Papageno.

Sarastro tells his priests that Tamino will undergo initiation rites (“O Isis and Osiris”). Monostatos tries to kiss the sleeping Pamina (“Men were born to be great lovers”). He is discovered by the Queen of the Night, who dismisses him. She gives her daughter a dagger with which to murder Sarastro (“Here in my heart, Hell’s bitterness”).

The weeping Pamina is confronted and consoled by Sarastro (“Within our sacred temple”). Tamino and Papageno are told by a priest that they must remain silent and refrain from eating, a vow that Papageno immediately breaks when he takes a glass of water from a flirtatious old lady. The old lady vanishes when he asks her name. The three spirits appear to guide Tamino through the rest of his journey and to tell Papageno to be quiet. Tamino remains silent even when Pamina appears, which breaks her heart since she cannot understand his reticence (“Now my heart is filled with sadness”).

The priests inform Tamino that he has only two more trials to complete his initiation (“Why, beloved, must we part?”). Papageno longs for a cuddly wife but settles for the old lady. When he promises to be faithful she turns into a young Papagena but soon disappears.

After many dangers, Pamina and Tamino are reunited and face the ordeals of water and fire protected by the magic flute.

Papageno is saved from attempted suicide by the spirits who remind him that if he uses his magic bells he will find true happiness. When he does, Papagena appears and the two plan for the future and move into a bird’s nest (“Pa-pa-pa…”). The Queen of the Night, her three ladies, and Monostatos attack the temple but are defeated and banished. Sarastro joins Pamina and Tamino as the people hail Isis, Osiris, and the triumph of courage, virtue, and wisdom.

Magic Flute Rubric

This is a rubric that I will use when we go to the opera at the end of our unit. Parents, check it out! Please practice these steps at home with your students so that we can make our opera experiences great and meaningful!

Classical Concert Etiquette : Classical Concert Etiquette Student Name: ________________________________________

Entering the Hall or Auditorium	Stands quietly outside the door then follows usher quietly to assigned seat.	Talks in a soft voice outside the door, then follows the usher quietly to assigned seat.	Talks in a soft voice while waiting and while being seated.	Talks in a loud voice while waiting OR being seated.
Program	Student looks at program before concert begins and then quietly consults it between numbers, if desired.	Student looks at program quietly between numbers.	Student puts program in lap and does not fiddle with it during the performance.	Student waves program around or rattles it unnecessarily.
Attention	Listens politely to the music. Has an interested expression almost all the time.	Listens politely to the music. Looks interested some of the time. Does not distract others when not listening.	Does not appear to be listening or interested, but keeps quiet and does not distract others.	Distracts others by talking, moving, rattling things, playing with toys, etc. during the actual performance.
Stays seated	Student keeps all body parts within own seating area during entire performance, politely sharing armrest with at least one neighbor.	Student keeps all body parts within own seating area during most of the performance, politely sharing armrest with at least one neighbor. Movements do not distract or irritate others.	Student leans toward another student to talk quietly, but stays in seat and keeps hands and feet to himself/herself.	Student gets out of seat OR lets arms, hands, legs stray into the space of another.
Showing Appreciation	Claps at an appropriate volume at the end of all musical selections. Has pleasant expression and looks toward the performers while clapping.	Claps at an appropriate volume at the end of all musical selections. Does not look at performers when clapping.	Does not clap for all selections OR claps at the wrong time.	Claps too loudly, drawing audience attention, OR whistles and screams while clapping.

Please click here to view a sample lesson plan I will be using:

http://www.box.net/shared/12qcpg2coz

Anna Netrebko sings "O mio Babbino Caro," from Puccini's "Gianni Schicchi"

Anna Netrebko is no longer just the darling of the opera world: she is enchanting audiences around the globe while continuing to cultivate the respect and admiration of opera’s most devoted and demanding fans. Her beautiful, dark, and distinctive voice, together with her elegant and alluring stage presence, have prompted critics to hail the Russian soprano as “Audrey Hepburn with a voice,” and “a singer who simply has it all: a voice of astounding purity, precision, and scope, extensive dynamic and tonal range, imagination, insight, and wit – all combined with a dazzling charisma that makes it all but impossible to look away when she is performing.”

Here are some fun facts about Netrebko:

Likes: Being with friends, shopping, reading fashion magazines, seeing movies, dancing, and eating

Dislikes: Long trips on airplanes, computers, golf (she tried it), and talking about business

Favorite actor/actress: Brad Pitt / Vivian Leigh

Favorite movie: Dracula (Bram Stoker)

Greatest recent non-professional accomplishment: Won a can-can competition at a night club in St. Petersburg in 2004

Music she listens to: Justin Timberlake, Robbie Williams, Christina Aguilera, Black Eyed Peas

What she would do if she were not an opera singer: ”I would be a surgeon or a painter”

Favorite food: ”Sushi – no, everything”

Favorite drinks: Red wine; champagne

Favorite book: The Master and Marguerite (Bolgakov); Gone with the Wind (Mitchell)

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