​

Production Dates

December 17, 18, & 19, 2021

7:00 pm

Alumni Auditorium

Friends University

Wichita, Kansas

​

Production Personnel

Director: Joshua May

Assistant Director: Benjamin Croen

​

Music Director/Conductor: J. Bradley Baker

Assistant Music Directors: Bora Cho, Jie Fang Goh

​

Costume Designer, Jen Stephenson

Set Design/Construction: J. Bradley Baker, Mark Diamond, Micah Perry

Supertitles: Dr. David Ronis and University of Wisconsin-Madison Opera

​

12/17 Cast

Tamino: Mario Melone

Papageno: Pete Wesoloski

Pamina: Evangeline Ng

Queen of the Night: Catherine Moss

Sarastro: Paul Leland Hill

First Lady: Elizabeth Cohen

Second Lady: Kathleen Crandall

Third Lady: Caroline Lee

Monostatos: Brandon Tharp

First Spirit: Baylee Almos

Second Spirit: Sophie Bougeois

Third Spirit: Hannah Howard

Speaker of the Temple: Jacob Tabatowski-Bush

Priest/Armored Man: Davian Raggio

Priest/Armored Man: Jay Jones

Papagena: Katherine Smith

​

Ensemble: 

​

Bethany Filer

Kelsey Huxman

Julia Pace

Krista Sizemore

Stephania Mikužis

Kiara Colón

Davian Raggio
Juan Tello 
Esteban Senzig
KJ Phillips
James Diaz
Jay Jones
Troy McDonald
Jacob Tabatowski-Bush

​

12/18 Cast

Tamino: Robert Hartfield

Papageno: Darrell Jordan

Pamina: Charlotte Bagwell

Queen of the Night: Nini Marchese

Sarastro: Paul Leland Hill

First Lady: Whitney Myers

Second Lady: Erin Sura

Third Lady: Hannah Wheeler

Monostatos: Esteban Senzig

First Spirit: Jacqueline Parson

Second Spirit: Julia Damore

Third Spirit: Stephania Mikužis

Speaker of the Temple: Jacob Tabatowski-Bush

Priest/Armored Man: Davian Raggio

Priest/Armored Man: Jay Jones

Papagena: Amira Coleman

​

Ensemble: 

​

Bethany Filer

Kelsey Huxman

Julia Pace

Krista Sizemore

Stephania Mikužis

Hannah Howard

Davian Raggio
Brandon Tharp
Esteban Senzig
KJ Phillips
James Diaz
Jay Jones
Troy McDonald
Jacob Tabatowski-Bush

​

12/19 Cast

Tamino: Marcos Ochoa

Papageno: James Diaz

Pamina: Carly Cummings

Queen of the Night: Megan Dobbs

Sarastro: Gordon Blodgett

First Lady: Maria Bozich

Second Lady: Jenna Grissom

Third Lady: Gilda Parlatto Lire

Monostatos: Juan Tello

First Spirit: Baylee Almos

Second Spirit: Kelsey Huxman

Third Spirit: Kiara Colón

Speaker of the Temple: Jacob Tabatowski-Bush

Priest/Armored Man: Davian Raggio

Priest/Armored Man: Jay Jones

Papagena: Margarita Parsamyan

​

Ensemble: 

​

Bethany Filer

Kelsey Huxman

Julia Pace

Krista Sizemore

Kiara Colón

Hannah Howard

Davian Raggio
Brandon Tharp
Esteban Senzig
KJ Phillips
James Diaz
Jay Jones
Troy McDonald
Jacob Tabatowski-Bush

​

Orchestra:

Chelley Graves, Concertmaster

Addison Wegerle, Violin 2

Joseph Schmitt, Viola

Quinn Lake, Cello

Sarah Rodriguez, Flute

Noah Meinecke, Clarinet

Zachary Hague, Bassoon

Maggie Barnes, Horn

Jie Fang Goh, Orchestral Keyboard

​

About Die Zauberflöte

​

Die Zauberflöte is an opera in two acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to a German libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder. The work is in the form of a Singspiel, a popular form during the time it was written that included both singing and spoken dialogue. With Mozart conducting and Schikaneder performing the role of Papageno, the work premiered with great success on 30 September 1791 at Schikaneder's theatre, the Freihaus-Theater auf der Wieden in Vienna. The composer died just two months later on December 5. 

​

Language: Sung in German, Dialogue in English

​

Composition Date: 1791

 

Runtime: 2 hours, 45 minutes

​

Plot Summary:

​

Act 1

Scene 1: A rough, rocky landscape

 

Tamino, a handsome prince lost in a distant land, is pursued by a serpent and asks the gods to save him. He faints, and three ladies, attendants of the Queen of the Night, appear and kill the serpent. 

​

Tamino wakes up, and is surprised to find himself still alive. Papageno enters dressed as a bird. Tamino introduces himself to Papageno, thinking Papageno killed the serpent. Papageno happily takes the credit – claiming he strangled it with his bare hands. The three ladies suddenly reappear and instead of giving Papageno wine, cake and figs, they give him water, a stone and place a padlock over his mouth as a warning not to lie. They give Tamino a portrait of the Queen of the Night's daughter Pamina, with whom Tamino falls instantly in love. The ladies return and tell Tamino that Pamina has been captured by Sarastro, whom they describe as a powerful, evil demon. Tamino vows to rescue Pamina. The Queen of the Night appears and promises Tamino that Pamina will be his if he rescues her from Sarastro. The Queen leaves and the ladies remove the padlock from Papageno's mouth with a warning not to lie any more. They give Tamino a magic flute which has the power to change sorrow into joy. They give Papageno magic bells for protection, telling him to go with Tamino. The ladies introduce three child-spirits, who will guide Tamino and Papageno to Sarastro's temple. Together Tamino and Papageno set forth.

​

Scene 2: A room in Sarastro's palace

 

Pamina is dragged in by Sarastro's servants, apparently having tried to escape. Monostatos, chief of the servants, orders the servants to chain her and leave him alone with her. Papageno enters and announces to Pamina that her mother has sent Tamino to save her. Pamina rejoices to hear that Tamino is in love with her. She offers sympathy and hope to Papageno, who longs for a wife. Together they reflect on the joys and sacred duties of marital love.

 

Finale. Scene 3: A grove in front of a temple

 

The three child-spirits lead Tamino to Sarastro's temple, promising that if he remains patient, wise and steadfast, he will succeed in rescuing Pamina. Tamino approaches and is initially denied entry, but is eventually admitted by a priest. He tells Tamino that Sarastro is benevolent, not evil, and that he should not trust the Queen of the Night. He promises that Tamino's confusion will be lifted when Tamino approaches the temple in a spirit of friendship. Tamino plays his magic flute. Animals appear and dance, enraptured, to his music. Tamino hears Papageno's pipes sounding offstage, and hurries off to find him.

 

Papageno and Pamina enter, searching for Tamino. They are recaptured by Monostatos and his servants. Papageno plays his magic bells, and they begin to dance, and exit the stage, still dancing, mesmerised by the beauty of the music. Papageno and Pamina hear the sound of Sarastro's retinue approaching. Papageno is frightened and asks Pamina what they should say. She answers that they must tell the truth. Sarastro enters, with a crowd of followers.

 

Pamina falls at Sarastro's feet and confesses that she tried to escape because Monostatos had forced his attentions on her. Sarastro receives her kindly and assures her that he wishes only for her happiness. But he refuses to return her to her mother, whom he describes as a proud, headstrong person, and a bad influence on those around her. 

 

Monostatos brings in Tamino. The two lovers see one another for the first time and embrace, causing indignation among Sarastro's followers. Monostatos tells Sarastro that he caught Papageno and Pamina trying to escape, and demands a reward. Sarastro, however, punishes Monostatos for his lustful behaviour toward Pamina, and sends him away. He announces that Tamino must undergo trials of wisdom in order to become worthy as Pamina's husband. The priests declare that virtue and righteousness will sanctify life and make mortals like gods.

​

Act 2

​

Scene 1: A grove of palms

 

The council of priests of Isis and Osiris, headed by Sarastro, enters to the sound of a solemn march. Sarastro tells the priests that Tamino is ready to undergo the ordeals that will lead to enlightenment. He invokes the gods Isis and Osiris, asking them to protect Tamino and Pamina.

​

Scene 2: The courtyard of the Temple of Ordeal

 

Tamino and Papageno are led in by two priests for the first trial. The two priests advise Tamino and Papageno of the dangers ahead of them, warn them of women's wiles and swear them to silence. The three ladies appear and try to frighten Tamino and Papageno into speaking. Papageno cannot resist answering the ladies, but Tamino remains aloof, angrily instructing Papageno not to listen to the ladies' threats and to keep quiet. Seeing that Tamino will not speak to them, the ladies withdraw in confusion.

 

Scene 3: A garden

 

Pamina is asleep. Monostatos approaches and gazes upon her with rapture. He is about to kiss the sleeping Pamina, when the Queen of the Night appears. In response to the Queen's questioning, Pamina explains that Tamino is joining Sarastro's brotherhood and that she is thinking of accompanying him. The Queen is not pleased. She explains that her husband, the previous owner of the temple, on his deathbed gave the ownership to Sarastro instead of to her, rendering the Queen powerless. She gives Pamina a dagger, ordering her to kill Sarastro with it and threatening to disown her if she does not. Pamina begs Sarastro to forgive her mother and he reassures her that revenge and cruelty have no place in his domain.

 

Scene 4: A hall in the Temple of Ordeal

 

Tamino and Papageno are led in by priests, who remind them that they must remain silent. Papageno complains of thirst. An old woman enters and offers Papageno a cup of water. He drinks and teasingly asks whether she has a boyfriend. She replies that she does and that his name is Papageno. She disappears as Papageno asks for her name, and the three child-spirits bring in food, the magic flute, and the bells, sent from Sarastro. Tamino begins to play the flute, which summons Pamina. She tries to speak with him, but Tamino, bound by his vow of silence, cannot answer her, and Pamina begins to believe that he no longer loves her. She leaves in despair.

 

Scene 5: The pyramids

 

The priests celebrate Tamino's successes so far, and pray that he will succeed and become worthy of their order. Pamina is brought in and Sarastro instructs Pamina and Tamino to bid each other farewell before the greater trials ahead, alarming them by describing it as their "final farewell". They exit and Papageno enters. The priests grant his request for a glass of wine and he expresses his desire for a wife. The elderly woman reappears and warns him that unless he immediately promises to marry her, he will be imprisoned forever. When Papageno promises to love her faithfully, she is transformed into the young and pretty Papagena. Papageno rushes to embrace her, but the priests drive him back, telling him that he is not yet worthy of her.

 

Finale. Scene 6: A garden

 

The three child-spirits hail the dawn. They observe Pamina, who is contemplating suicide because she believes Tamino has abandoned her. The child-spirits restrain her and reassure her of Tamino's love. 

 

Scene 7: Outside the Temple of Ordeal

 

Two men in armor lead in Tamino. They recite one of the formal creeds of Isis and Osiris, promising enlightenment to those who successfully overcome the fear of death. Tamino declares that he is ready to be tested. Pamina calls to him from offstage. The men in armour assure him that the trial by silence is over and he is free to speak with her. Pamina enters and declares her intention to undergo the remaining trials with him. She hands him the magic flute to help them through the trials. Protected by the music of the magic flute, they pass unscathed through chambers of fire and water. Offstage, the priests hail their triumph and invite the couple to enter the temple. 

 

Scene 8: A garden with a tree

 

Papageno despairs at having lost Papagena and decides to hang himself, The three child-spirits appear and stop him. They advise him to play his magic bells to summon Papagena. She appears and, united, the happy couple stutter in astonishment and make bird-like courting sounds at each other. They plan their future and dream of the many children they will have together.

 

Scene 9: A rocky landscape outside the temple; night

 

The traitorous Monostatos appears with the Queen of the Night and her three ladies. They plot to destroy the temple and the Queen confirms that she has promised her daughter Pamina to Monostatos. But before the conspirators can enter the temple, they are magically cast out into eternal night.

​

Scene 10: The Temple of the Sun

 

Sarastro announces the sun's triumph over the night, and hails the dawn of a new era of wisdom and brotherhood. Animals appear again and dance in the sun.