I don’t think I could recall a more exciting time than that night. Hours before the opera itself, a large balloon flew up to the Hive, carrying some of the world’s most powerful notables from other nations besides Equestria: The twin Princes of Saddle Arabia, the President of Prance, the Lord of Trottingham, the Duke of the Moneigh Islands and the Vice-President of Istally. Princess Cadance and Prince Shining Armor came with Sunburst, Princess Twilight with her student Starlight, and of course, Princesses Celestia and Luna.
Out of all of them, it was Princess Luna that I was worried about, especially since I had based a character on her. (At the time, I thought she was pure myth.) Yes, she had told me that she read the score, but I noticed that she didn’t say if she had seen a performance of it. On one hoof I was terrified that she might take offense to it; yet, at the same time, I hoped that she would nevertheless be entertained.
When night had fallen, and the stars were out, did the Changelings and their guests gather together in the Hive’s auditorium. The way it was set up, the audience sat around the outer edges in a horseshoe pattern, leaving a section of seats and the stage in the center for the actors. As to the orchestra, given that there was no pit to play in, I decided on the next best thing: by placing each section into certain areas of the audience but still close enough to the stage as possible. The only exceptions were the brass and the percussion, they I have them placed just above, overlooking the stage but were able to see and hear everything.
As for the more important members, they were given seats closest to the conductor’s stand. As the orchestra filed into their respective places, the audience kindly clapped as they took their seats. But I on my part dared not enter just yet, not until they started to tune up. At which point I made my entrance from the trapdoor right underneath the conductor’s stand, popping up with a “Peek-a-boo!”
There was a roar of applause as I climbed out; then, much to their surprise, I went up to personally greet the celebrated visitors, first going to the back of the section where the Duke sat. “Hello there!” I said, shaking the hoof of an elderly stallion in a colorful shirt and a necklace of flowers. “Who might you be?”
“Are you Moztrot?” he asked, astounded.
“No, Salieri,” I laughed, “Yes, but what is your name?”
“Duke Nalu Nui of the Moneigh Islands.”
“I’m so glad you could make it to the opera,” I smiled as I continued to shake his hoof, “Do enjoy the show.” Then I moved on to the next stallion seated. He was smartly dressed in a black suit with a little lapel pin of a red, white and green flag. In his hoof was a translation scroll. “Ah, Suppongo che tu sia il vicepresidente? (Ah, I suppose you're the vice president?)”
His ears perked up. “Sì. Sono sorpreso che tu possa parlare la lingua, signor Moztrot. (Yes. I'm surprised you can speak the language, Mr. Mozart.)”
“Raccolgo alcune cose nella mia vita. (I collect some things in my life.)” I said as I shook his hoof. “Tuttavia, sono molto onorato che tu sia venuto qui per vedere il mio lavoro. Spero che il viaggio qui non sia stato un problema. (However, I am very honored that you came here to see my work. I hope the trip here was not a problem.)”
“Oh no, signor Moztrot, rifiuti un invito così raro? Non mi perderebbe sentirti guidare il tuo lavoro in tutto il mondo. (Oh no, Mr. Mozart, could you refuse such a rare invitation? I would not miss hearing you lead your work for all the world.)”
I smiled. “Grazie, e goditi lo spettacolo! (Thanks, and enjoy the show!)” I said with a firm hoofshake before moving on to the next one, a unicorn mare in a simple but regal black dress with a few pieces of jewelry. She was almost elderly but had years of experience behind her eyes. She wore a pin of a striped flag of red, white and blue. She too had in her aura a translation scroll. “Madame la Présidente, je présume? (Madam President, I presume?)”
She in her turn softly smiled and offered me her hoof. “Monsieur Mozart, un tel honneur pour vous de conduire votre musique une fois de plus. (Sir Mozart, such an honor for you to conduct your music once again.)”
I accepted her hoof with a shake and a kiss on it. “Oh, le plaisir est tout à moi. Merci d'avoir pris le voyage ici pour l'opéra. (Oh, the pleasure is all mine. Thank you for taking the trip here for the opera.)”
“C'est l'un de mes favoris personnels. (It's one of my personal favorites.)” She smiled. “Je vais profiter du spectacle. (I will enjoy the show.)”
After thanking her, I then turned my attention towards the twin Princes of Saddle Arabia (they too had translation scrolls). When I came up to them, I gave them a surprise. “مساءالخير،أصحابالجلالة،أودأنأشكركمشخصياًعلىحضورعرضبرنامجي. (Good evening, Your Majesties, I would like to thank you personally for attending my program presentation.)”
Both of their mouths hung there for a moment before one of them asked, “هليمكنكالتحدثبلغتنا؟ (Can you speak our language?)”
“لا. (No.)” I recited. “فيالواقع،ليسلديأيفكرةعماأتحدثعنه. لقدعلمنيسفيرلدىالملكثوراكسأنأقولهذا،لكنآملأنتستمتعبالعرض. (In fact, I have no idea what I am talking about. An Ambassador to King Thorax has taught me to say this, but I hope you enjoy the show.)” Hoping that I got my memorized lines right, I offered a hoof to each of them. Although they exchanged a confused look, they did shake them.
Then I greeted Princess Cadance and her husband, Sunburst, Princess Twilight, her student, and King Thorax. But when I got to the two royal sisters, the first thing I did was to bow to them. “And of course, it’s a pleasure to finally have you both come.”
“We needed the break,” Celestia said, “and I myself haven’t been to the theater in a long time.”
“Just so you know,” Luna added, “I was talked into coming. Since I have mixed feelings about a certain character in your opera.”
I gave her a nervous smile. “Even if I were to offend you, I assure you it was fully unintentional. But tonight, however, the two of you shall see and hear my opera as I imagined it.”
“Considering your cast, this ought to be interesting,” Celestia commented. “At times I have wondered what goes on in that head of yours. Now it would seem that we’ll get the chance to see.”
With a final bow, I returned to the conductor’s stand where the orchestra in their assigned places was waiting for me. The audience became hushed the moment I took my place. Sitting on my haunches, I lifted my forelegs up, readying myself and the orchestra. Their eyes were on me and mine on theirs as I gave them a final once-over. Taking a deep breath, I called out, “Once upon a time.”
Thus, I opened the opera with the first five powerful notes. Horns, strings, and percussion welcomed the audience in by a grandiose, heroic prelude of what was to come. The strings stirred beneath the calm serenity of the percussion, flutes, and horns, hinting that something might not be what it seems. As the strings played the first minute of this tender music, members of the choir walked steadily on and around the stage as lights of blue, turquoise, and purple highlighted parts of it. At first, they came in lines before breaking up to stand in random places that didn’t seem to have rhyme or reason. When they had reached their position, they stood there, waiting.
Then as the strings sped up, flashes from the Changeling cast burst into green flames as, one by one, they, transformed into trees, bushes and plenty of boulders. Not only that, but they even completed the illusion of a forest by adding in wild creatures such as rabbits, wolves, deer, even birds, and insects. Every so often, these clever Changelings even transformed into other mythical creatures such as Breezes, a Gryphon, even a Cockatrice. This left the audience stupefied and amazed at the sheer detail of what they had accomplished thus far.
In the background, a shadow was seen with a panpipe that blew an upward scale. A dove landed upon its claw before passing along with a birdcage on its back. As this happened, I looked upward towards the three little stars that moved together to take their place in the night sky. Another flash of green light from the very backstage, and we could see the shadow of a very large serpent, its long body climbing up the branches to await its prey.
Halfway through the overture, another burst of green flames appeared as distant but noble horns were heard that repeated the opening five notes. This time, instead of keeping to the shadows, our hero walked out into the evening light. The prince looked exactly the way I had imagined him. A youthful stallion with a coffee black mane and a light chocolate brown coat. The mane was tied back with a silky black bow. He wore a richly blue overcoat with golden buttons and a sword at his side.
Just as the tempo raced back up, the eyes of the serpent opened and it slithered downward, silent, towards the confused Prince. The tension in the music ratcheted up and hastily, like a heart under the tempo of fear, as the beast coiled its tail around the hind leg of the stallion. At the music reached its crescendo, the Prince was dragged into the forest. In the leaves, a confusion of movement and struggle was seen as he tried to free himself. Every so often, we could see the body of the enormous snake slithering across the branches.
But at the crescendo, the prince fell through the trees, his sword unsheathed and his overcoat missing several buttons. Now fighting for his life, he waved his sword at the hissing jaws of the beast. Yet, no matter where he thrust his weapon, the creature was faster, dodging his attacks before slithering back into the trees. Frantically, the prince searched this way and that for the serpent. Now and again he jumped up to take a swing, but nothing happened. However, at the end of the overture, the snake curled down from a tree behind the Prince, slinking over, ready to pounce. Just in time, the stallion turned swiftly around to attack. But as he did so, his only weapon shattered in the teeth of the monster.
Immediately the prince fled for his life towards the center of the stage. “Oh, help me! Oh, help me! Oh, save me from dying! The vicious serpent has me in its sights! Someone, help me! Help me!” Quickly, the enormous snake slithered around the stage, enclosing the prince in a deadly, ever-tightening ring. “Now it’s closing in! I cannot escape! Oh, save me! Protect my life!” Drowning in fear, the stallion fainted.
But as he did so, three stars shot out arrows from the sky. “Die, monster, by our power!” sang three female voices. Taken aback, the audience turned their eyes towards the source of these arrows, even as the creature perished from them. “Rejoice! Rejoice! It is accomplished, the heroic deed! He is freed, by the courage of our weapon.” The three stars descended towards the stage, and I heard ahhs from the audience as they took on the form of pegasi mares that looked as if they were made of light.
The three star-mares took a close look at whom they had saved, and quickly they were stunned by the youth’s handsome visage. So stricken, in fact, that all three sang at once: “If I were to give my heart away, I would give it to this youth.” But at the same time, they all concluded that they must rush to their queen with the news of this stallion as it would bring peace of mind. However, each of them insisted of having the other two go and tell her, as each wanted to guard the unconscious stranger. But as none of them would leave any of the others along with the stallion, and after some argument, they all concluded that they must leave him behind, unguarded, and just hope they would see him again.
After the three ascended back to the sky, the prince awoke with a groan. “Well, that was the scariest dream I ever had! A serpent chasing me, closing in on me…” As soon as he opened his eyes, he instantly hopped on all four hooves. “Hold on! That was no dream! Here it is!” Using the broken sword, he cautiously approached the corpse, poking it a few times. “Seems to be dead.” Then after looking around, he spotted something in the air and pointed at it. “But someone is coming! I’d better lie low and listen.”
As he said this, a cheerful tune from the violins began to sing as the prince rushed to hide behind a boulder. Meanwhile, flying in towards the stage was Papageno, as I had originally imagined him: A hippogriff with the front half a bird and the other a leopard. He came in with his ruffled but stunning feathers that resembled those of a green parrot with yellow, white and blue highlights. The lower half was emerald green with dark spots. Papageno flew in with a bamboo birdcage on his back and a panpipe around his neck; he blew this a few times before looking around.
Eventually, he sat on a tree branch as he began to sing his happy tune: “The birdcatcher am I indeed, always merry, heisa, hop-sa-sa! I, bird catcher, am well known to old and young throughout the land. Know my way around with the traps, and how to be understood on the pipe!” As he blew on his panpipe, a dove flew right into his cage. “Thus can I happy and merry be, for all the birdies belong to me!” Another blow of the scale and another bird flew right in.
“The birdcatcher am I indeed, always merry, heisa, hop-sa-sa! I, bird catcher, am well known to old and young throughout the land. A net for girls is what I would like, I’d catch them by the dozen for me!” Another blow on the pipes. “Then lock them up I would by me, and all girls would belong to me.” After another few blows on his instrument, he hops over to another branch with a daydream glint in his eye.
“If all girls belonged to me I would bravely trade in sugar, the one I like best, her I would immediately give the sugar too. And if she kissed me tenderly then, she would be my wife and I her husband.” Another scale on the panpipes. “She would fall asleep by my side, I would cradle her to sleep like a child.”After a few more toots on his instrument, his aria ended when the Prince called for his attention.
“Hey there!”
“Huh? What!” Papageno looked around until he spotted the stallion crawling out from his hiding spot.
“Tell me, my friend, who you are?”
“Who I am?” the bird catcher asked with a smirk. “A stupid question! I’m a creature like you if I asked who you are.”
“Back where I come from, I’m a prince, of noble blood.”
Papageno blinked. “Prince? That’s all above my head.”
“My father is a sovereign who rules over many lands and creatures. That’s why I am called a prince.”
The colorful bird catcher was still puzzled but intrigued. “Other lands? Prince? Tell me, are there other lands and creatures beyond these mountains?”
“Many thousands!”
Papageno’s eyes went so wide that I could swear that they almost popped out of his head. “I might try the market for my birds there.”
“Now you tell me what this place is actually called. Who rules this land?”
“I cannot answer you that,” he replies with a shrug, “any more than I know how I came into the world.”
This surprised the prince. “How? You would not know where you were born or what your age is?”
“Not a word! All I know is that not too far from here stands my straw hut, which protects me from rain and cold.”
“Then how do you live?”
Papageno laughed. “By eating and drinking, like everyone else. Really, ‘Prince,’ such easy riddles you ask.”
The stallion had to stop to think for a moment before asking: “How do you earn your food and drink then?”
“By barter, of course.” He took the birdcage off his back and proudly held it up. “I catch various birds for the star-blazing Queen and her ladies; every day, in return, I receive food and drink from her.” Now it was the Prince’s turn to be intrigued and he asked the bird-catcher if he had seen the Queen. “See her? See the star-blazing Queen? What mortal can claim to have ever seen her? But… why are you looking at me like that?”
“Ah! It is clear now; this is precisely the nocturnal queen of which my father had told me so often.”
Papageno told him to stay back as he got increasingly uncomfortable at the Prince’s questions. He warned him that he had the strength of giants, before quickly asking why he looked at him suspiciously.
“Because I doubt whether you are telling the truth.” The Prince replied. “According to your feathers, I’ll be able to easily hold you-”
The bird-catcher interrupted this as he displayed his strength by lifting a heavy looking boulder off the ground.
“So it was you who knocked off the serpent?” The Prince inquired. At first, Papageno was confused until he pointed out the enormous corpse of a snake in the middle of the stage. “I’m very grateful.” The prince added, “You saved my life.”
“Uh… don’t mention it.” The bird-catcher lied. “Glad to be helpful.” When asked how he did it, he puffed up his chest and stated. “Simple, I strangled it with my naked claws like a field mouse.”
“Papageno!!!” Three scolding voices from above were heard. To this, the bird-catcher explains to the young stallion that they are the ones that come to exchange his birds for sweet wine and some figs, but at the same time, he wondered what he had done to make them so angry.
The three-star mares returned, Papageno displaying his cage to them with his catch of the day.
The first-star mare went up to him with a bottle. “In return for your deed,” said she, “our sovereign is today sending you pure, clear water instead of wine.” Thus, she opened the bottle to splash it in his face.
Confused, the second one approached him, “And she has commanded me to bring you this stone instead of cake.” She said as she placed a rock in his claw.
“What?” Papageno protested. “You want me to feed on stones?”
“And instead of sweet figs,” said the third as she held a golden beak, “I am to place this golden lock upon your beak.” With one swift move, she wrapped the metal muzzle around his face and keeping it in place with a golden padlock.
“I expect you would like to know why our sovereign lady is punishing you so strangely today.” The first-star mare said.
“So that in the future, you will not tell lies to strangers anymore,” the second explained.
“And never again boast of heroic deeds performed by others,” added the third one in a cross tone.
The first one questioned him. “Speak! Did you fight this serpent?” Papageno, unable to talk, merely shook his head. The three mares turned to the prince, telling him that it was they who had saved him. One of them, by order of their queen, gave the stallion a miniature portrait of her daughter Pamina with a message: “If you find that you are not indifferent to these features, then happiness, honor, and fame are in store.”
The Prince stared at the painting; simple chords from the strings and soft horns showed how he became attracted to its subject. Within a minute, he fell in love with the face of the pretty mare. One aria of singing his heart out to a picture of a stranger he has never met later, the three-star mares approved of him.
“Steel yourself with courage and constancy,” the first one said.
“The Queen of the Night, our glorious sovereign,” added the second.
“Has heard every word you have said.” The third finished. “‘If this young stallion’she said. ‘Is as bold and noble as he is tender, then my daughter Pamina is surely saved!’” The prince asked what she meant by that. “A powerful, evil demon of a sorcerer named Sarastro has stolen her away.”
Hearing the call to save a maiden in distress, the stallion asked them, “Where is Sarastro’s domain?”
“Very close,” spoke the first mare, “underneath that mountain there. His castle is imposing and carefully guarded.”
“Regardless, I swear on my life that she must be saved!” Thunder was heard, but although everyone in the audience looked up, there was no cloud in the sky. “What was that?”
“Do not be afraid! Our Queen comes!” The three cried out at once as they ascended to the sky. “She comes! She comes! She comes!”
I could sense Princess Luna’s eyes drilling through the back of my skull as the moment of truth arrived. Out from the rocks behind the stage, a second full moon had risen up among the stars. And from this surreal image, immense light shown in which a tall mare with a mane as white as the moon, and fur as dark as the night itself flew gracefully down to the stage. This alicorn had a crown and collar of stars. She opened her piercing dark eyes. The Prince, so taken aback by this, fell backwards upon the ground.
“Oh, do not tremble, my dear son.” She sang as she spotted the startled prince. “You are guiltless, honest and pious. A young stallion like you is best able to comfort the deeply distressed heart of a mother. Suffering is my lot, for my daughter is not with me. Without her I have lost all my happiness; a villain made off with her. I still see her trembling with alarm and shock, quivering with anxiety, struggling fearfully. I had to see her stolen from me, ‘Ah help!’ was all she said; but her pleading was in vain, for my aid was too feeble.”
Just then, in that most distressful moment, the strings instantly transformed the somber mood to that of a dignified, confident but regal sound as the Queen continued. “You, you, you will go to deliver her. Yes, you will save my daughter. And if you return victorious, then may she be yours forever.” From there, the Nocturnal Queen sang with utmost skill and clarity as her notes went faster and higher than ever before. Yet, even with this sound of relief (and just as instructed), she sounded a little off in her sudden mood change as she sang the most difficult part of the aria. Once finished, she spread her dark wings and flew back up to the moon. And as the orchestra played out its final bars, the second moon descended back behind the rocks.
As the audience applauded I turned my head quickly around towards Princess Luna. Her expression was unreadable although she slowly stomped her hoof on the ground. I was a little unnerved as I had no clear indication if she liked it or not.
However, I had to turn my attention back towards the stage. Papageno came back onstage, trying to talk to the Prince. Only all that come out was: “Hm, hm, hm, hm, hm, hm, hm, hm!” Although the stallion had pity on the poor bird-catcher, he admitted that he couldn’t do anything about it.
Fortunately, the star mares returned with one of them giving Papageno the message that the Queen has pardoned him and therefore his punishment would be lifted. Thus, she released the bird catcher from his muzzle. Even though he could chatter again, she warns him. “Yes, chatter! Only do not tell any more lies!” Papageno promises to do so. “Let this lock be a warning to you!”
To this, all of them sang with one voice: “For if all liars received a lock like this on their mouths, instead of hate, envy, and anger, love and brotherhood would flourish.”
At this point one of the star mares produced a wooden flute, telling the Prince that it was a gift from the Queen. “The magic flute will protect you and sustain you in the greatest misfortune. By it, you may act with all power, change the passions of all: the mourner will become joyful, hate will become love, and night turns into day!”
Indeed, such a gift was worth more than gold or crown.
Papageno tried to walk away from all of this, but the three-star mares told him that their sovereign has ordered him to accompany the prince on his quest. The bird-catcher refused on the grounds that he has heard of Sarastro and he is merciless and cruel. He would pluck and roast him and feed him to his dogs. Even when told that the Prince will protect him, he still stubbornly refused.
So one of the star mares brought about a box with chimes and a crank handle. Papageno was promised that these little bells would also help protect him. This was enough to convince him to go along.
But before the adventurers could begin their quest, they asked how they could make their way into the castle. Down from the sky (and accompanied by a gentle melody from the winds), three small pegasi colts descended and circled about them as the star mares explained: “Three colts, young, beautiful, gracious and wise will accompany you on your journey. They will be your guides, follow nothing but their advice.” After being given this final instruction, the prince and the bird-catcher bid the star mares farewell, with all taking their leave.
The audience applauded as the changelings transformed the scenery. In a burst of green flames, the forest became a dungeon. Two walls, each with a wooden door, with a wooden bed in the corner. Even the lights turned a sinister blue.
From one of the doors, a small group of Zebras entered. One of the stallions took center stage. “Our tormentors, of all the intensity of indentured Zebras, tomorrow if we are not careful, we shall certainly hang, or be spat out into the wilderness.”
“Why?” they cried.
“The lovely mare!”
“Why?”
“She nearly escaped.”
“You let her go?” asked one who was promptly struck across the face.
“Imbecile! Let her go? That is not my true desire. I do not have to tell you that there we must be careful never to let our master see us make a mistake, or we Zebras in these temples will be punished.”
“You mean he knows!?” Another asked in alarm.
“Of course! She slept before his eyes! Like some of my brothers have told, the Zebras of these temples can no longer be saved, even if Pamina could be brought back from Sarastro’s keep.”
“How so?” Inquired another.
“You know the lavish money and its manner! The filly was wiser than I thought.” He chuckled. “At one moment, she thought she was going to win, by calling out Sarastro’s name. Oh, how it shook us; for a moment we remained silent and unmoving. Pamina ran to the canal and attempted to hurry to a gondola to the palm grove. But luckily, someone was waiting on the other side.”
Just then, there was shouting offstage before another Zebra came bursting through the door, dragging a mare with him. Unlike the others, this Zebra had gold rings around his neck and hooves as well as a red robe. The mare that was struggling to get away had a long mane of flowing white with a spring green coat. As much as the exotically dressed Zebra tried to intimidate her, she, the Princess, put up a brave face.
“Death does not frighten me,” she sings at him, “I am sorry only for my mother, she will quite certainly die of grief.”
The ringleader calls to the other Zebras to chain her up before commanding them to leave him alone with her. When he sang that line, I couldn’t help but notice that the audience seemed rather uncomfortable as the Princess was chained to the bed. However, from offstage, the singing voice of Papageno was heard, “What is this place? Where can I be? Ah-ha! I’ve found a door. Have courage; I must go in.”
As he sang this, it caught the attention of the ringleader, whose ears perked up and directed his attention to the other door. The Zebra trotted over to the other door to hide behind it as it opened to show Papageno peering in. “Could this be the young maiden? Whose coat is green as grass.”
However, just as he was about to step in, the Zebra poked his head out and, at the sight of one another, they both hid on opposite sides of the door. Together they sang, shaking in fear,“Aah! What is that thing? Must be Discord himself! Have pity! Spare me!”
Amusingly, each of them tried to pull on the door shut until the Zebra rushed out the other door. A moment later, Papageno poked his head in once more, scanning the cell. “Am I not a fool to have been so frightened? For there are certainly black and white birds in the world, so why not other creatures that are black and white?” He asked himself before laying eyes of the mare chained up. “Ah look! This must be Pamina!” Rushing in he said to her, “You must be the Queen of the Night’s daughter, aren’t you?”
“Who are you?” she asks.
“A messenger from the star-blazing Queen.”
“You know my mother? But I think I may know your name… Papageno?” He nodded.
“If you’re the daughter of the Night Queen-”
“I am!”
“Well, I want to verify if they’re right.” He hops on the bed next to her as he took out a crude drawing of her as he looked back and forth. “Green coat – right, green. White mane – white mane. And Blue eyes – good, blue. Perfect! Everything arrives on hooves and wings.” As he began to pick the lock that held the chain together with his claw, he explains to her. “I saw a creature this evening in front of me who calls himself Prince. This‘Prince’had so impressed your mother that she gave him your portrait and commanded him to rescue you. Why, the moment he saw your picture, he fell in love with you.”
The Princess blinked as she had a light blush on her face. “Love? He loves me?” With a squee, she leaped out of the bed. “So we have no minute to lose. Around this time, Sarastro usually comes back from the hunt.”
“So Sarastro is not at home?” He too jumped off the bed. “Well come on, beautiful picture lady!”
But before they could leave, she realized something. “Ah, but what if this is a ruse? How do I know if you are an evil spirit in Sarastro’s employ?”
“Me? An evil spirit?” Papageno chuckled. “Why, I am the best spirit in the world!”
The Princess apologized if she offended him. “You have a heart,” she added.
“Oh, indeed, I have an affectionate heart. But what good is that to me? I often want to pull out all my feathers when I think about it. This Papageno does not yet have a Papagena.”
“You poor thing,” she said with sympathy. “So you have no wife yet?”
“No wife? I wish! Not so much as a girlfriend, let alone a wife!”
The princess patted him on the head. “Patience friend. The Gods will care for you too and will send you a girlfriend before you know it!”
“If only the Gods sent her soon,” he remarked.
I cued the strings and winds with a simple but noble theme as the Princess begins the duet.
“In stallions who feel love, a good heart, too, is never lacking.”
“Sharing these sweet urges is then mare’s first duty.”
“We want to enjoy love; it is through love alone that we live.” The pair sings together as they repeated, “it is through love alone that we live.”
A sigh from the winds and violins later, the mare began again. “Love sweetens every sorrow; every creature pays homage to it.”
“It gives relish to the days of our life, it acts in the cycle of nature.”
Then together, “Its high purpose clearly proclaims: there is nothing nobler than mare and stallion. Stallion and mare, and mare and stallion reach up toward Heaven. Stallion and mare, and mare and stallion reach towards the deity.”
At the end of this simple melody, the two of them make their escape with the Princess taking the lead. After the lights go out, the audience applauded. While the stomping of hooves and whistles filled the air as the Changelings on the stage set up for the next scene, the melody of the duet brought back the echoes of King Thorax’s words about courting again. If anything, the very lyric amplified that: “Love sweetens every sorrow; every creature pays homage to it.”
For a brief moment, it gave me pause. How long had I been in this modern age, and how long have I been over my grief? Surely, at this point in time, I’d already come to accept the fact that the ponies I’d known were dead. Thorax was right about moving on; knowing Constanza, she too would have insisted on it. But why did those honeyed words sound so bitter deep down?
Yet, before I could ponder further, I had to move on to the next and last scene.
This time around, by the time the lights became bright moonlight, the scene had changed that to a small grove, and there in the center were three large, imposing stone doors embedded in the side of the mountain. From left to right, each door had a single word carved upon them: Reason, Wisdom, and Nature.
Enter the Prince, being led by the three pegasi colts with the heavenly strings to announce their arrival. They sang to our hero that from here, in order to save the princess, he must follow their advice. That to be victorious, he must be patient, wise and steadfast – in short, be a stallion and only then he may conquer as such. After this, they made their exit, leaving the Prince behind, promising to take these words to heart.
Although uncertain of what will happen, the Prince declared he shall enter boldly while adding, “My purpose is noble, true and pure. Tremble, cowardly villain! To me, rescuing Pamina is a duty.”
However, as he approached the gateway that was marked “Reason,” a deep chorus of voices cried out: “Go back!” The same thing happened when he entered the gate with the words “Nature” too. Reasoning that if neither would allow him in, then he would have to go in through the third in the middle. But even before he could set hoof in it, a cloaked figure in white stepped forward, his features hidden underneath a hood.
“Bold stranger,” the priest in a cloak asked, “where do you wish to go? What do you seek here in the sanctuary?”
“That which belongs to love and virtue,” the Prince replied.
“These are lofty high words! But how will you find these things? You are not led by love or virtue, for you are set upon death and revenge.”
“Revenge only on the villain!”
“You will surely not find him with us.”
“Does Sarastro rule in these parts?”
“Yes, yes, Sarastro rules here!”
“Surely not in the Temple of Wisdom?” After the priest confirms that he does, the Prince sang defiantly, “Then it is all a sham!” But before he could storm away, the hooded priest asked him why he was going in so soon. “I want to go, glad and free, and never see your mocking temple!”
“Explain yourself to me more clearly; you are taken in by deception.”
“Sarastro lives here, that’s quite enough for me.”
“If you love your life, speak, stay there! Do you hate Sarastro?”
“I hate him forever, yes!” When asked to give him his reasons, he responds, “He is a coldhearted tyrant!”
“Is there proof for what you say?”
“It is shown by an unhappy mare, oppressed by grief and sorrow.”
“So a mare has beguiled you?” The priest scoffed. “Such a thing does little, chatters a great deal. You, young stallion, believe the wagging tongues! Oh, if only Sarastro laid before you the reason for his actions!”
“The reason is only too clear! Did the robber not ruthlessly tear Pamina from her mother’s arms against their wills?”
The priest nodded. “Yes, young stallion! There is truth in what you say.”
“Where is she whom he stole? Perhaps…” a dark thought came to him, “she has already been sacrificed?” To this, the priest expressed how he could not give that information yet. As it is too soon to let him know. “Explain this riddle, do not deceive me.”
“My tongue is bound by oath and duty.” The prince asked when he will know. “As soon as the spirit of friendship guides you into the sanctuary to the everlasting bonds.” With that, the hooded priest reentered through the gateway of wisdom.
Now alone, the prince asked when will the dark confusion will past before an echo is heard ringing out: “Soon, soon, young stallion, or not at all!” Although further frustrated with such a perplexed response, he asked these unseen ones if Pamina is still alive. When told that she indeed was, the Prince thanked them by offering to show them his gratitude in every note on the flute as he is able.
No sooner had he played out the first few notes of that flute did Changelings in animal disguises appear in the grove. Birds and rabbits, deer and foxes, all popped up to see who was playing.
“How powerful your magic sound is, sweet flute,” the Prince remarked, “since your playing brings joy even to wild animals. Yet only Pamina stays away!” During his short aria, he prays that the Princess would somehow hear him and know how to find her way. Suddenly, the scales of Papageno’s panpipes were heard off stage. “Ah-ha! That’s Papageno’s sound!” he exclaimed as he played on the flute a small scale to be sure. His hope returned as the pipes were heard again. “Perhaps he’s seen her already. Perhaps she is hastening to me with him! Perhaps the sound will lead her to me.”
The hero left offstage, just as Papageno and Pamina snuck between the trees. While they (and the music) briskly try to hurry, the two of them wished they could find the Prince. At first, the princess tried to call to him but the bird-catcher hushed her; he’ll use his panpipes to lure him. They know he’s close, but are uncertain as to where exactly the sound is coming from. As soon as they say they should hurry, they find themselves surrounded by the Zebras.
The ringleader of the Zebras has his moment of triumph in catching them, promising to put them in chains and irons. Fortunately, Papageno remembers the box of chimes, hoping that they might do something. And so the bird-catcher turns the crank and a sweet melody pours from it. As he plays, the stern and serious look upon the Zebra’s faces became humorous and happy. Even laughter came as they began to dance out of the stage.
The chorus of Zebras sang too. “That sounds so splendid, that sounds so pretty! La-la-la la la la la-la la la la la-la! I’ve never heard or seen this before! La-la-la la la la la-la la la la la-la! I cannot stop smiling and singing along! La-la-la la la la la-la la la la la-la!”
As soon as they were gone, Papageno and Pamina looked in amazement of what the chimes have done. In a duet they sang: “If every honest creature could find bells like that, enemies would then banish without trouble, and without them, he would live in perfect harmony! Only the harmony of friendship relieves hardships; without this sympathy, there is no happiness in this world!”
Just before they could leave, they were stopped as they heard triumphant trumpets and a chorus of praising voices.
“Long live Sarastro! Sarastro, all hail!”
Papageno instantly asked what was that, and the princess informs that was Sarastro’s entourage that was approaching. While the bird-catcher was afraid of what might happen and doesn’t know what to do, Pamina calmly tells him that she will tell Sarastro the truth. “Only the truth,” she sings, “even if it condemns us.”
Another blast of golden brass with equally golden voices cried out like rows of priests descend through the crowd. “Long live Sarastro! Sarastro, all hail! We devote our lives to him, trusting and joyful! His wisdom and kindness enrich our lives. He fights against all evil and deceit.”
Then, flying over our heads, a chariot drawn by winged lions carried in an alicorn of white with a mane and beard of fire. In the split second as I turned my head around towards Princess Celestia, no sooner had she seen the fruit of my imagination than she stared right at me with a raised eyebrow. She gave me a look as if asking me if this was meant to be real. However, I had to return my attention to the orchestra as Sarastro landed near the kneeling Pamina.
Much to the audience’s surprise, she immediately apologized by singing: “Father, I broke the promise I made you that I would never run away. I beg you, do not condemn only me. For the head, Zebra demanded my love. Therefore, my father, I had to leave.”
Like a comforting Papa, he put a hoof underneath her chin to look up at a kind face. “Arise, be glad, my only daughter. You shall live here with me in peace. Yet, I sense your heart is on fire. It has fallen deeply in love for another. Yes, another stallion! Such love I cannot condemn, but you may not leave here.” Pamina objects as her duty as a daughter to leave because of her mother. But as she mentioned her, Sarastro interrupts her. “She must obey me. It would destroy you if I left you in her hooves.”
“But she longs for me, feels emptiness, and in loneliness-”
“She is far too proud! A wise stallion should guide a mare’s heart. Without which any mare will breach her boundaries.”
Entering with a chain around his neck was the Prince, led by the head Zebra with a smirk on his face. However, as soon as the Prince and Pamina see one another, their first instinct was to try to embrace one another. The chorus of priests objected to this unexpected behavior.
The head Zebra pulled on the chain to yank our hero to the ground. All the while, he bowed low to Sarastro. “I kneel at your hooves. Let this impudent lout pay. Consider his wily behavior. Using that feathery creature there, he would have abducted Pamina. But first, he had to deal with me. You know me, I have an eye on such things.”
Sarastro solemnly nodded, singing that he will give him his reward right there and then. “Let this honored gentlecolt have-”
“Oh milord, what a happy day!” the Zebra smiled widely before his master finished.
“Seventy-seven lashes!”the Head Zebra was then taken away, shocked and surprised at something so unexpected before he added: “You know I always fulfill my duties.”
The choir of priests praised Sarastro for knowing when to punish the evil and reward the good. As they did so, Papageno and other robed priests freed the Prince from his chains. Sarastro instructed them to take the new strangers to the Temple of Trials. “Allow them no sight,”he sings to them, “before their souls and minds have been purified.”
Immediately, both the Prince and Papageno’s heads were covered by black sacks as the priests lead them off while they sing. “If these two strangers enter into our Temple of Trials, when virtue and justice strew with fame the path of the great, then the earth is a realm of heaven, and mortals are like the gods!” At this, I conducted the orchestra to play out the fanfare that brought the first act to a close as the cast on stage followed the hooded strangers off, along with the others who dropped their disguises, leaving the space bare.
The Changeling audience applauded; I could see on their faces that they were intrigued. I announced to all of them that we would resume in fifteen minutes. I turned around to attend to our special guests. However, when I did so, although most of them looked pleased, Celestia, however, waved a hoof at me, her face showing no expression. Such a look sent shivers down my spine, and dread overcame me. For the last time I saw that look, my family ended up in the gutter.
‘Oh no.’ I thought as I walked over to her. ‘Please, not again.’