from the Festspielhaus, Salzburg
The Vienna Philharmonic
Orchestra
Conductor, ARTURO TOSCANINI
Papageno
The story of The Magic Flute is full of incident and is chiefly concerned with the various adventures of the young prince Tamino, who is trying to win the beautiful Pamina, daughter of the malignant Queen of the Night. Papageno, a quaint, practical-minded bird-catcher, is also in search of a wife.
Act 2 opens with a solemn ceremony in the Temple of Trials, where Tamino and Papageno are brought to undergo such trials as will prove them worthy of happiness. Sarastro, the chief priest, and the other priests accept Tamino and Papageno for initiation. Papageno is told that a charming little bird-woman, Papagena, is intended for him. After many trials, including a test of silence which the loquacious bird-catcher finds tiresome, Tamino leads Pamina safely through fire and water by the enchantment of a magic flute. At last all ends happily, the two pairs of lovers being greeted with general acclamation.