While the audience talked among themselves during the intermission, I went up to the Royal sisters and bowed. The very first thing that came out of my mouth was, “Did I displease you, Your Majesties?”
“Rise, Moztrot,” Celestia told me and I did so. “First of all, you are not in trouble, in case that was what you were wondering.” Phew! “However, I do have some questions.”
“As do I.” Princess Luna added.
Gulping, I told them to speak freely.
“Firstly,” Princess Sunbutt asked with a raised hoof, “this whole production, from the design of the sets to the look of the characters, is directly from your head, correct?”
“Including the voices as well,” I quickly said. “They got the sound of the voices and the dialogue perfectly, just what I had envisioned.”
“All right, with that being said – there is something I must ask for the sake of curiosity. Why does Sarastro look like me if I had been born a stallion? Not that I’m judging you, of course. If anything, I’m intrigued about why he looks like me in drag.”
I tilted my head. “Forgive my confusion, but I don’t understand what you mean by drag?”
“Point being: why does Sarastro look like that way?” Celestia clarified. “Don’t get me wrong, I have seen this opera before, but I never saw Sarastro looking like that.”
Ah, that should be easy to explain. “Well, Your Grace, when I was writing the opera with my friend Schikaneighder, we were trying to hammer out the characters, and indeed the overall story. We exchanged ideas back and forth, you see, and we figured that it would be best to surprise the audience, that the so-called villain in the story, wasn’t one at all. If anything, Sarastro is the exact opposite of the Queen of the Night in every way. Such as that she’s a she and he’s a he; she rules the night and he the day; her representing ignorance and him representing enlightenment; and so on. The Sarastro in my head, now that I come to think of it… I had unintentionally based him off Your Highness without realizing it.”
“So, you unconsciously imagined what my sister would look like if she were my brother,” Luna said with a giggle. “I have a question of my own.”
“Oh, by all means, ask away.”
“This production’s Queen of the Night, was that what she really looked like inside your head when you first wrote the opera or did you decide to change it because of my presence?”
Every single vulgar curse word went through my skull as I stood there frozen.
However, I didn’t have to say any of those said words as Luna read the look on my face. She told me with a frown. “Somehow, I’m not surprised.”
“Your Ma-” I was about to explain but she interrupted me by lifting her wing.
“I’m not offended. To be fair, you said so yourself that you didn’t know for certain if I existed in your time, so I cannot fault you on that account. That, and I can see why you would change the Queen of the Night’s appearance. It would be awkward enough if there two of me. Still, it is intriguing enough to make me want to see where it goes from here.”
“Thank you.” I bowed before turning to Cadance and Shining. I said to them, “Where is your wizard Sunburst?”
“Catching up with Starlight.” Princess Cadance pointed over to a corner of the roped off area where he and Twilight’s student Starlight were talking away. “You know, to tell you the truth,” the pink alicorn of Love continued, “this is actually our first opera.”
“Really?” I asked, surprised.
“Believe it or not,” Prince Shining added, “we don’t get nights out that often. Even if we do, it’s usually time spent with our daughter. So besides taking care of the Empire, paperwork, ambassadors, more paperwork and the monster of the week, we’re lucky to experience anything outside of a movie.”
“Luckily our Flurry is calming down enough for foalsitters to handle her.” Cadance pointed out. “To tell you the truth, Mr. Moztrot, we came here with somewhat low expectations.”
“Oh?” I tilted my head. “What do you mean?”
“I mean that opera, as far as I’ve heard, tends to be more of an endurance test than anything nowadays. That to sit there and hear somepony sing for more than three hours straight is rather taxing. However, we were pleasantly surprised that it wasn’t all singing. It was like a musical as there was actually talking while the music took a break.”
A giggle escaped me. “Funny you should say that. When my friend and I were writing this out, that was the exact complaint he had. He said that all opera has is a fireworks show of sound that lasts for hours but no time to breathe in between that. Even the orchestra we had at the time wasn’t as trained or tireless as in the previous theaters I had worked with, so I had to keep it as simple as possible.”
“Not to mention the story is really interesting.” This came from a third voice, Princess Twilight’s to be exact. “Sorry to butt in, but like them, this is my first time seeing this, and already I’m fascinated.”
“Let me guess,” Prince Shining smirked, “you took some notes.”
“As always.” She held up a small book’s worth of hoofwritten notes.
At this, I blinked. “Did you write all of this during the first act?”
“Oh, not all of it. Some of this is from last night, but since I know you’re busy, I just want to ask you one question.”
Looking over at the other guests, King Thorax mingling among them, I told her that was all I had time to answer before seeing to the other guests.
“Perfect.” She hummed as she flipped her notebook of scribbles until she reached a certain page. “Now this question has been around for centuries and has been bothering scholars ever since this opera’s premiere; they are debating it to this day. Considering how the story features rituals and trials, that it has occult priests that talk about enlightenment, that our heroes undergo an initiation, that they want stallions only – Is it true that this is what got you in trouble with the Free Builder’s Society?”
I facehoofed. “Here we go…” I mumbled. “All right, before I answer, is that organization still around?”
Twilight put a hoof to her chin. “I think so…? But it doesn’t have as much of an impact as it did back then.”
“Very well.” I took a deep breath before replying. “To be absolutely clear: they didn’t do anything to me. In fact, I was never kicked out of it; in fact, they helped me a little in paying the bills. If anything, there are two things wrong with that question.”
“And they are?” Princess Bookhorse asked as she levitated a quill pen from Celestia knows where.
“First, not only was my friend, the writer who helped me, a member, but there were others who agreed to help with ideas in order to teach the public as a whole. Enlightened ideas to move the masses, cloaked in music and nonsense. We were even given permission to loosely interpret their initiation ceremony.”
After she scribbled this down, she asked what the second point was.
“The story is about what it says it’s about. Everyone that worked on it tried to make it clear as possible. The opera wasn’t written in code. If I honestly wanted to have my music be about something else, it would have been about – something else. I mean, the story is about a Prince who tries to save a Princess and does so. So I ask of you, why are scholars baffled by it? What is there to be debated, even? I feel like these are the same pretentious ponies from my time that could read a novel from Voltaire and come to the conclusion, ‘What this book actually says is to smear blackberry jam on the cushions.’”
This got the trio of royals laughing, and me smiling. After telling them to enjoy the rest of the show, I turned my attention to King Thorax. He said that he liked it so far and wanted to see what happens next. The other important guests echoed the same opinion for other reasons. Some praised the quality of the music, others the acting and many the look of the actors and sets.
But soon, I had to return to the conductor’s stand. At this point, the Changelings transformed the stage into a courtyard of stone columns and palms in the evening moonlight. The only prop is a metal bowl in the very center holding a pile of kindling. After checking to see if the other members of the orchestra were ready, I opened the Second Act with a solemn procession of strings and winds. Sarastro enters through the middle with two other high priests by his side while the entire priesthood filed in from the left and right. They entered their sacred robes and torches to light the stage.
Sarastro stepped forward and used his horn to ignite the kindling in the center, at which point the stage lit up, casting shadows among the rocks. He looked about the lines of priests about him. “You, servants consecrated in the temple of the wisdom of the great gods Ma’at and Thoth, with a clear conscience I declare to you that our gathering today is one of the most important of our time. As you know, Tamino, the son of a king, he wishes to tear off his veil of night and look into the sanctuary of great light. To offer him the hoof of friendship should be our duty today!”
“Does he possess virtue?” One of the priests asked.
“Virtue.” Sarastro nodded.
“Responsibility too?” inquired another.
“Quite so.”
“Is he charitable?” A third questioned.
“Indeed! If you think him worthy, follow my example…” Thus he raised his hoof in favor, in which his fellow priests did the same. With a smile, he said to them, “Stirred by the unity of your hearts, I, Sarastro, thank you in the name of equinity. Before we go any further, are there any doubts or concerns among my brothers that should be voiced?”
There was a still moment before it was shattered by a cacophony of voices. Sarastro stomped his thunderous hoof, demanding order. He asked what the cause of the commotion was; at this, many of them turned to one of the high priests as he stepped forward. He expressed concern at having a mare on the temple grounds, in this case, Pamina. “Males of every species have found refuge here within these hallowed halls of these temples. The reason we live here is to avoid the distractions of the outside world, including females.”
“So Pamina lives in the pavilion above --”
“Respectfully yes,” the high priest continued, “but that’s not enough. You saw how your servant Monostatos behaved around her! Pamina’s presence has made him sick with longing. And worse yet, he is not alone! We chose to turn our backs on the pleasures of the flesh for wisdom, but it’s difficult when there’s a mare here. We don’t want to be tempted!” The brotherhood of priests stomped their hooves in approval.
“She came to me to escape her mother!” Sarastro said. “What’s a father to do when his child seeks help?”
“For you, she’s a daughter,” the high priest pointed out, “but to us, she’s a female.”
With a contemplative sigh, he asked, “What then do you suggest I do? Pamina, the gentle, virtuous filly has been destined by the gods to the fair young stallion. It was for this very reason that I seized her from her mother.”
The high priest had an idea. “Perhaps that is it! We know she loves the stranger, Tamino the Prince. Let Pamina leave with him.”
“That is the problem. As even I know to never go against the will of the gods, I must obey. But as a father, would you let your child elope with a stranger?”
“He is a stranger now, yes. But he will not be such if he masters the trials of the Brotherhood. If he proves himself worthy in the sight of the gods, she may go with him.”
“But I cannot abandon my daughter, nor can I let her return to her mother. That mare pretends to be great, but underneath her starry façade is one that would bring misery to all that stands in her way – including Pamina.”
“Exactly! And that is why she can’t stay here.” The high priest said. “Do you see the problem? If you let her stay, then she still risks being molested, and her mother would try to uproot our temples. However, my Lord, the brethren agree that the prince should undergo the trials. If the gods are willing and he passes, then he may protect your daughter, thereby keeping our priesthood safe.”
“But would Tamino the prince be able to withstand the harsh trials?” Another priest asks. “I am afraid for the youth. When, in pain, his spirit would be crushed, or he may die. Remember: he is a prince. Even more --”
“He is a pony,” Sarastro said sternly.
“Even so, this whole plan relies on him succeeding. If the gods are willing, that would solve our problems. But what if they aren’t?”
“Then he is given to Ma’at and Thoth, and becomes a plaything to the gods earlier than we do.” He then commanded that the prince and his companion be brought to the courtyard before returning his attention to the high priest. “And you, friend! Honor the gods through us to the defender of truth and teach Tamino the prince to recognize the power of the gods.”
One aria with a chorus later, in which Sarastro prays to the gods for the prince to defy the deadly trials and to either succeed or die with honor later – he and a few priests left the courtyard before the prince and Papageno were lead in. They still had their heads covered as they were lead to the center of the stage, at which point the high priest uncovered them.
“You strangers,” the high priest proclaims. “What do you seek, what compels you to penetrate our walls?”
“Truthfully,” said the prince, “My love of Pamina. And with any hope, the friendship of those who would assist me.”
“Are you ready to risk your life fighting for these things?”
“Yes.”
“And will you submit to any trial given to you, even in the face of death?”
“Yes, with honor.”
The priests looked at one another. The high priest gave him one last chance to turn away before it was too late. However, the prince, still determined on his mission, made it absolutely clear that he was willing to do what needed to be done for Pamina’s sake. “Offer me your hoof,” said the high priest. As the prince accepted it, the brotherhood stomped their hooves in approval.
Next, the high priest turned to the hippogriff. “And you, what do you come for, Papageno? Are you willing to fight for the love of wisdom?”
“What did I come here for? Nothing!” The bird-catcher answered. “Besides, fighting was never my thing. I don’t basically want any wisdom either.” When asked why he responded, “I’m a simple creature that enjoys simple things that nature provides. Taking pleasure in sleep, food and drink. And I have everything I could want: a roof over my head, cake and sweet dates to nibble, wine to drink and a trade of catching birds to keep me busy. Even if I did had wisdom, what good would it do for me? The only thing I want in life is a girlfriend.”
“You will never obtain one unless you submit to our trials.”
This caught Papageno’s attention, but with a raised eyebrow. “What are these trials?”
“You must comply with all our laws. To fear nothing, not even death.”
“I’d rather stay single.”
“Even if Sarastro already has found you a girl just like yourself?”
“Like me?” Papageno asked surprised. “Is she young?”
“Yes, and beautiful!”
“And her name?”
“Papagena.” To this, Papageno said that he would like to see her out of curiosity. “You will see her, but you may not speak a word to her.” The bird-catcher gave a goofy smile in which that as long as he’s able to see her, then he’ll obey. “Give me your… claw. You shall see them.”
Papageno shook his hoof, much to the brotherhood’s approval.
The high priest explained to them: “The gods impose a salutary silence on you too, Prince: without it you are both lost! You will see Pamina, but never be allowed to speak to her. This is the beginning of your trials.”
After the choir of priests warned them to watch out for the cunning females of their first trial, they exited, leaving only the Prince and Papageno. The moment they left, all the torches and the fire pit were immediately extinguished, leaving the two in the moonlight.
“Hey, lights! Lights!” Papageno cried out before commenting: “Whenever these gentlecolts leave you, you stop seeing anything, even with your eyes wide open!”
“Be quiet Papageno,” the Prince tried to shush him, “just be silent and wait, think of this as being the will of the gods.”
Just then, the courtyard was lit up by the three-star mares who suddenly appeared. The three of them tried to tell them to flee from this place as it would spell their doom. All the while, as much as Papageno wanted to know what was going on, the prince reminds him of his sacred oath. “The Queen is quite near you!” the three mares sang to them. “She has secretly broken into the temple.” As much as they tried to remind the Prince of his duty he sworn to the Queen, he ignores them and does what he could to keep the bird-catcher silent. They added, “The Priests are full of deceit and clever words… They say that anyone vowing allegiance to their brotherhood goes head over hooves into Tarturus.”
As threatening as these words were, Papageno wondered aloud if they are speaking the truth or lying to them. Just as the three-star mares see that it would be pointless to attempt further persuasion, the priests burst in – banishing the mares into the abyss of the night. The high priest judged that while both of them did talk, the star mares weren’t the ones that they were meant to be tempted by. It would only be fair to have the trial over again as the previous one wouldn’t be held against them.
Thus we moved onto the next scene. The Changelings transformed the stage into a garden of exotic flowers, towering palms, fountains, bushes, and even a cushioned bench long enough for Princess Pamina to lay upon. In the moonlight Monostatos, the ringleader of the Zebras came in and spotted the sleeping mare. He sang an aria, questioning why he should forsake something that he never had. “But I too have a heart.” Sang he, “I am also flesh and blood! Loneliness is pain. I just want to have a mare! I deserve to feel love and hear sweet words. Forgive me, I should stop, but my yearning is far too great.” As he neared the sleeping mare, he was tempted to kiss her -- when suddenly came thunder.
So the ringleader of the Zebras dashed into a bush when out from the sky, a voice called out. “Pamina?” The princess woke up in time for her mother, the Queen of the Night, to descend into the garden.
“Mother!” She sprang up, trying to embrace her. However, a large black wing stopped her.
“Pamina, where is the prince I sent to rescue you? Did he not come? Didn’t you want to go with him?”
“Yes, but --”
“But what?” The Queen questioned.
“He is undergoing the trials of the Brotherhood.”
To this news, the dark alicorn facehoofed. “He’ll become one of them too…” she muttered.
“But only so he can marry me,” Pamina explained.
This time, she looked at her daughter disgusted. “Then you’ll be taken from me forever.”
“Wha- no! I’ll always be your daughter.”
“Is that so?” The Queen asked in a way that would freeze an ocean. “Voluntarily you went to Sarastro. And freely you entered these temples under the mountain. You chose him over me!”
“But I love you both-”
“You choose the side of stallions! And now you wish to marry one of them!”
“I love Tamino, Mother!” Pamina snapped back at her. “And he loves me!”
At this, much to her dumbstruck daughter’s surprise, the mother laughed. “Oh really? And how long will something like that last? Believe me: Stallions are deceitful, as you will soon discover.”
“Yet, Father said you are just as guilty --”
Now the Queen came face to face with her, staring down at her with those piercing eyes. “You dare call that barbarian ‘Father’?” she asked in words as cold as winter. “How can you call that pompous, backstabbing vulture ‘Father,’ after what he did to me?”
“I don’t understand, Mother,” Pamina interjected, “what do you have against him?”
There was a tense moment as she swiftly turned her back and walked a few steps. “Do you not know what he did, to deserve such scorn?” Her daughter said that she didn’t. “Do you remember your grandfather? His duty was to these temples in which held much power over this land. He promised me, since I was young that when he died, that right would pass on to me. But on his deathbed, that… silver-tongued demon Sarastro convinced him that he should have ownership instead of me, leaving me powerless.” She returned her gaze to her. “Do you have any idea what it means, to have what was rightfully mine taken from me? What I could do if I these temples were in my name? For it’s one thing to have that betrayer steal what ought to be my birthright, but for you too to join him?” Her eyes narrowed. “If you do… You are no longer my daughter.”
“I don’t want to lose you,” the princess pleaded. “I don’t want to lose either of you!”
“But do you really want to keep your mother?”
“Yes. I want to be a family again.”
At this, the Queen conjured up a crystal dagger and hoofed it over to her. “With this dagger, you will kill the stallion you call ‘Father.’”
“I cannot!”
Thus I lead the strings as her mother flew into a rage, singing with a fierce passion. “The wrath of Tartarus is raging in my heart. Death and fury, death and fury are flaming in my soul! You will give Sarastro the pain of death. Sarastro the pain of death. Or it shall be, my love for you is dead!” Her voice let out a series of screams into the night, with notes so high that even the stars quivered in fear. “My love for you is dead!” As she sings at the highest register with utmost clarity and sharpness, I finally looked around at the Changeling audience in which their jaws hung at the singer who could sing so high. “My love for you is dead!”
The audience instantly applauded the Queen; regardless, she continued her tirade of abuses as the strings fanned her anger. “Destroyed forever, denied forever, cursed forever, everything that binds me to you. Our ties, our trust, our love, these bonds will be cut.” Another series of screams in which her notes went around everyone like a whirlwind, making those who listened dizzy. “Everything that binds us, denied, unless, Sarastro dies by your own hoof! Hear, hear, hear, Gods of revenge! This, your mother’s curse!” Even as she took off into the sky once more, the orchestra finished the turbulent notes that brought her aria to an end, and even when all around the audience roared in applause, I had only one thought going through my head:
‘How is she a bigger bitch than I last remember?’
But as the applause faded away, the ringleader of the Zebras stepped out from his hiding place. “I know exactly how you feel, my little buttercup. I too had a difficult foalhood. For I can see clear as sunlight that you don’t want to kill your father, do you? No. Or lose your mother? No. There’s only one solution,” he wrapped a foreleg around the princess, “run away with me!”
“With you?”
“Yes.” He grinned. “If you be mine, I’ll save you from all of this.” She, however, refuses because as she made clear to him that she loves the Prince. Monostatos frowned as she pushed him away. “Or,” he took the crystal knife, “do you want to me to tell my master of the plot to kill him? I heard everything. One word to him and it could spell disaster to you. It’s all simple, run away with me so I can love you, or face a punishment worse than death.”
“Monostatos!” a third voice was heard. The two of them turned as Sarastro enters into the garden. Caught with the dagger in hoof, the Zebra immediately dropped it and bowed to him.
“Milord, do not misunderstand me. Her mother was here and commanded your daughter to kill you. I overheard the conspiracy myself! You know better than most that mares are not to be trusted --”
“Go!” Sarastro interrupts him.
“Very well,” he nodded as he got up, “I’m off.”
“And never return to our temples.”
The Head Zebra was stunned. “What?”
“Be gone!” He told him sternly.
“B-But, milord-”
“I am not asking.” Sarastro lit his horn a bright glow. “Go. Now.” And with that, Monostatos left the stage. Now alone with his daughter, Sarastro used his magic to pick up the knife off the ground.
“Don’t be angry, father,” Pamina said as she sat on the bench. “Mother was here. But I don’t think she knows what she’s doing. My coming here made her lose her mind…” with a sigh she adds, “It’s all my fault.”
“No. Don’t ever think that,” Sarastro said as he sat next to her, wrapping a comforting wing around her. “Your mother and I could not live together in harmony. She never forgave me for leaving and creating the Brotherhood.”
“But can you forgive her?”
He sighed. “I don’t know. As for you, I urge you to value your virtue and strength. I will not lie, as your trials will be dangerous, but your reward will be great.”
Leading the violins to a calming serenity, Sarastro sings his aria, nuzzling her. “When the voices of revenge call, friends may save you. And should a pony fall, friendship will show the way. He is safely guided by friendly hooves, fully trusting friendship’s bond. A life at peace, a soulful life, but this is not a life for you. In these hallowed halls the love of brothers reigns. And no quarrel lurks, for married life is banished. This life makes me happy, but not you. You must get away from here. Yes, you will say goodbye and leave. With your loved one, you must leave this place. Farewell, Pamina, I set you free.”
Amazed by this change of heart, Pamina hugged her father before they walked offstage with the audience showering them with applause. The Changelings once again transformed the scene, this time to a cave with mysterious symbols painted on its walls and a ring of benches in the center. The only source of light was from torches and candles that illuminated the darkness.
Once space was lit up, two of the High Priests lead the Prince and Papageno in. Once again, they reminded them to obey the vow of silence until they hear the sound of trumpets. When they hear it, they can move on to the next trial. However, they gave them a warning: “Whoever in this place breaks his silence,” one of the priests said, “the gods will punish with thunder and lighting.”
“Ohh, thunder and lightning?” Papageno rolled his eyes. “How? We’re in a cave.”
Exchanging a scowl, the priests bid them farewell. After they leave, Papageno tried to talk to the prince, only for him to be shushed at. Seeing that there was no point, the bird-catcher sat on the other side of the ring of benches.
“What a fine life,” he remarked sarcastically, “everything was better in my straw hut, catching a few birds.” Another shush from the prince. “What? I’m just speaking with myself, I can do that! There’s no rule against that. Oh, and we can speak to each other, we’re males after all. They told us not to speak to females.” Another shush.
Grumpily, Papageno folded his arms, looking around. “Not even a drop of water? Do they think that we won’t become thirsty?” It was from that moment, a vulture-like hippogriff in a simple plain dress ambled on stage with a cup of water. “Is that for me?” Papageno asked.
“Yes, my angel.” The ancient creature replied with a smile as she went up to him, giving the cup.
“Tell me, stranger,” he inquired taking a sip from the cup, “are all newcomers treated this way?”
“Of course, my angel.”
The bird-catcher smirked, “I take it that not too many strangers come by.”
“No, not many.”
“How old are you anyway?”
To this, the elderly creature took out a pocket watch. “Eighteen years and two minutes.”
This amused Papageno. “Do you have a boyfriend?”
“Yes.”
“Is he as young as you?”
“Not exactly – he’s ten years older.”
“It must be a wild love affair, you lucky thing!” This gets the old creature laughing until the bird-catcher asked in his amusement. “Does your lover have a name?”
“Papageno!”
At first, Papageno laughed until he realized what was said. “Papageno? Where is he then, this Papageno?” She replied that he’s in the temple. He immediately asked what her name was, but before she could answer, a tremendous roar of thunder was heard, causing the ancient creature to flee.
Papageno, still stunned, looked up at the sky. “That’s it, I’m being quiet from now on.”
But from the heavens, the three pegasi colts came blazing in, welcoming them to Sarastro’s realm. They returned to the prince and the bird-catcher the magic flute and the little bells, as well as something to eat and drink. “When the time comes around for our third meeting,” the colts sang, “you will then see your effort’s reward. Courage, Tamino! Your goal is neigh. You, Papageno, please shut up.” This got a roar of laughter from the audience as the three of them departed.
While Papageno gorges himself on the food, the Prince passes the time playing a few bars of the flute. However, this catches the attention of Pamina as she too enters the cave. She rushes up to him.
“There you are!” she exclaimed, “It’s alright, we can leave now. I spoke to father, and it’s okay! You don’t have to undergo the trials for my sake anymore.” Yet, the prince remained silent, turning his back on her. “Tamino? What’s wrong? Why don’t you say something? It’s me! Pamina!” She turned to the bird-catcher, “Papageno, why isn’t he talking to me?”
Papageno couldn’t respond as his mouth was full. The princess looked increasingly worried. “Tamino, you’re frightening me. Please… say something…” She then sings her aria in which bar by bar, we saw on her face and in her voice that her heart was breaking. Even her tears looked genuine in their grief, and yet her singing was clear as glass but filled with emotion. But what was powerful, I remember, was the prince. Although he never said a word, his expression said it all. Everyone could see that while she sang, he desperately wanted to say something, a comforting word at least. But none came as his sacred oath held him back.
After she left, heartbroken and tears flowing, Papageno could only look at the prince in disgust. Once she was out of the cave, he mockingly applauded. “Bravo Tamino! Being able to sit there, colder than ice, while she’s singing her heart out. Really noble of you! Here I never took you for being cruel.”
A fanfare of trumpets was sounded, thus their first trial was over. To this, as the priests entered in, they sing their praises to the gods. “O Ma’at and Thoth, what a joy! The darkness of night has been by sunlight banished! Soon this fine young stallion will be one of us; soon he’ll be home! His soul is bold, his heart is pure, soon he can call himself a stallion!” As they sing, Sarastro enters last as he went up to the dismayed prince full of pride.
“Prince,” said he, “your development so far has been steadfast and mature. Do not be discouraged as your goal is coming close. Soon you will have two more dangerous trials to face. For if your heart is still set upon Pamina, and if you wish one day to rule as a wise leader, then the gods may further attend you. Show me your hoof.” He offered his hoof over to the prince, in which he accepts.
As for Papageno, Sarastro tells him that he failed the trial on the fact that he couldn’t close his mouth for more than a second. Therefore, he isn’t worthy to join the brotherhood.
“Good!” The bird-catcher declares, “If that is what being apart of this group is about, then I want nothing to do with it.”
He was then told that since that was the case, he would be shown out of the temple. However, Papageno asked the prince if there was any wine before he departs. As he was told to wait, the brotherhood escorts the prince off stage, leaving the bird-catcher behind. Soon enough, the wine was indeed given to him before he was left alone once more.
“Now that's what I’m talking about!” he says to himself as he takes a gulp. “Fantastic! This is what I want. A great meal, and tasty wine. The only thing I need…” Glancing over at the bells, a thoughtful look graced his face as he reached over to turn the crank.
Leading the strings, wind, and brass, the bells sweetly chimed an elegant but happy tune. Papageno, with a hopeful smile on his face, began to sing. “A maiden to be a little wife is Papageno’s dream. A lovey dove for life would be heaven’s bliss for me. Would be heaven’s bliss for me. Would be heaven’s bliss. I’d feed her with nectar and honey, be rich as a prince with no money, a happier stud you’ll not see, in Elysian fields I would be. A happier stud you’ll not see, in Elysian fields, I would be.”
Still not seeing anyone, he continued to turn the crank as the sound of the bells became richer and more elaborate. If anything, his hindlegs were enchanted to dance by such a hopeful melody.
“A maiden to become my wife is Papageno’s dream. A lovely dove for life would be heaven’s bliss for me. Would be heaven’s bliss for me. It would be bliss for me. But though I’m so needing affection, I only get scorn and rejection. If no pretty gal will come by, in grief then I surely will die. If no pretty gal will come by, in grief then I surely will die.”
Even though he set the bells aside after singing something so grim, the crank continued to turn. Almost as if the very sound gave him comfort that his desire would be fulfilled. All he had to do was wait.
“A mare to be my little wife is Papageno’s dream. A little lovey dove would be heaven’s bliss for me. Would be heaven’s bliss for me. It would be bliss for me. If love keeps on passing me by, I’ll finally wither and die. But a kiss from a sweet beak on mine, at once I’ll be feeling just fine! With a kiss from a sweet beak on mine, I’m in heaven and feeling just fine! I’m feeling just fine!”
Fortunately, his wish did come true. However, the same ancient vulture-like creature from before wobbled her way into the cave. “Here I am, my angel!”
Papageno let out a frustrated sigh. “Do you really have to take pity on me?”
“Yes, my angel.”
“What sort of luck is this?” He looks over the audience in disbelief. Turning back to her, he further asks, “Alright, what do you want?” he questions as he picks up the glass of wine.
“If you promise to be forever true,” she said, “you will see how tenderly your little wife will love you.”
“Ay, you tender silly thing!” the bird-catcher sarcastically said, rolling his eyes.
“Oh, how I want to embrace you… to caress you… to press you to my heart!”
Papageno shivered. “Even heart pressing.” He muttered. The ancient creature reaches out her wrinkled claw at him, asking to give his claw as a token of their union. “Uh… Not so fast, dear angel… uh, such a union needs a little thought.”
“Papageno,” the creature scolded him, “I advise you, don’t waste your time! Your claw or you are forever here imprisoned!”
It was at this point he dropped his glass, which shattered on the stone ground. “What!”
“Water and bread will be all you will look forward to,” she warned. “Without friends, or without a girlfriend must you live, and renounce the world forever!”
Now faced with the choice, he reluctantly sighed, “… I suppose an old gal is better than none at all. Here,” he offered his claw, “you may have it with the assurance that I will always be faithful (so long as I don’t find anyone lovelier).”
With joy on her muzzle, she shook his claw. “You swear it?”
“Yes, yes,” he sighed, “I swear it.” Then in a sudden burst of green fire, the ancient creature loses her disguise to give way to a magnificent hippogriff of blue feathers and the head of a dove, smiling sweetly back at him. “Ah… Papagena!”
“Away with you!” One of the high priests comes barging in, shooing the other hippogriff away. “He is not worthy of you yet!”
“Sir!” Papageno puffs up his chest and angrily looked down at the priest. “Don’t interfere in my affairs! You don’t threaten me even if you unleashed lions on me!” With a stomp of his hoof, the priest unleashed six lions to chase him off stage.
The Changelings returned the scenery to the garden. This time three of the pegasi colts return from above, singing to the audience. “Soon shines, the morning to enlighten, on rays of gold, our sun. Soon gloomy notions will have vanished, soon wins the wiser man. Descend, o blessed peace, surround us, and bring your calm to all the hearts around us. Then is our earth a heavenly realm, where creatures and gods are just the same.”
Pamina enters with the same dagger that her mother had given her, and the three colts take notice. The three of them agreed to comfort her in her bitter pain but should stay aside to see what she intends to do. Poor Pamina, her notes so wrapped in grief that has driven her insane where she pledges her life to the knife. It was clear that they must help her.
Just as she was about to plunge the crystal blade into her heart, the colts swooped down urgently. “Stop! Unhappy one, stop! If Tamino knew this, he would lose his mind, for you are his everything.” Even when she pointed out that the Prince turned his back on her, refusing to say a word, the colts admitted it was strange. However, they added, “If you saw how readily he would give his life for you, you would be astonished, and your heartbreak would have ended.”
After they insisted that she come with them to see the Prince, the Princess gladly agreed to follow.
The Changelings transformed the scene again. This time an elongated hole appeared in the center of the stage from in front of me to the back. As I lead the orchestra in a mysterious but dreadful march, the priesthood gathered from both sides of the stage as two huge sphinxes carrying spears walked out to stand guard of either side of the pit. The area was bathed in a gloomy light. Behind all of this was a triangular door in which painted on both sides were the Southern Equestrian gods of Ma’at and Thoth. From the triangular door, the Prince walked out, uncertain what these final trials would be.
Both sphinxes, in deep voices that echoed like giants, sang to our hero: “He who walks this perilous path, is cleansed by air, earth, fire, and water. If he can conquer the fear of death, these hallowed halls will be a home to him. Enlightened, he’ll truly be a stallion in soul and mind. Into the Brotherhood he will be allowed.”
The Prince sings that he will not yield on his path to virtue, that even before crossing this perilous line, he made clear that he had made his choice. But before he could do so, the Princess Pamina called out to him. Tamino asks the sphinxes if, not only he is allowed to speak to her, but that she may go with him too. They have decided that since she is not afraid of death, she is therefore worthy to try. With joy, he declared that even if it leads to their death, they will go through the final trials gracefully.
Pamina enters, finally reunited with the prince. “I stand at the gates of dread,” Tamino sings, “and may meet my end.”
“The terrors we are sharing,” she replied, “I am always at your side. I myself am leading you. I am led by love for you. The path is strewn with roses, for roses always go with thorns. But keep on playing the magic flute, it will protect us on our way. The same that my father had enchanted by his hoof from the deepest ground and a thousand-year-old oak amid thunder, tempest, and storm. Now come and play the flute as we venture on our harsh path.”
“By the power of music, we walk cheerfully through death’s darkest night.” They sang together, “Through death’s darkest night.” At the threshold of the elongated pit, both of them stood on their hindlegs. She balanced herself by putting a foreleg on his shoulder while he readied himself to put the flute to his lips. With three thunderous taps from the sphinxes’ spears, they commenced the trial of fire as the pit suddenly became ablaze.
Yet, bravely, with Tamino playing on the sweet flute, the two of them walked forward and downward into the inferno. As they did so, I glanced around at the audience as each one of them was holding their breath as the graceful melody wended without a worry. Then in front of me, the solo concluded and two figures emerged from the flames with not a speck of ash upon them.
But there was one last trial. Another three thunderous taps from the sphinxes and the pit became flooded in water. Still, neither was afraid as they turned around; playing the flute once more, they walked forward to submerge completely. But even under water, the sound still resonated clearly. Then on the other end, the two of them broke through the lapping waves, to walk out dry as a bone.
“You gods, what a moment that was.” They both sang, “But together we have made it!”
Jubilant trumpets were heard as the priesthood gathered around them in celebration. “Triumph! Triumph, you noble pair!” They sang proudly, “The dangers you have overcome! Now yours is Thoth’s consecration to bid you welcome in!”
After the fanfare and applause, the scene once again changed back to the grove of trees with three large doors on the side of the mountain. One opened up to show Papageno searching in vain for his Papagena. As much as he called out her name and blew on his panpipes, no sign of her was to be found.
He scolded himself for being a chatterbox, that if only he had been able to keep his mouth shut he wouldn’t have lost her so easily. Dismay grew at an alarming rate as he saw suicide by hanging to be a better option than heartbreak. However, he did hesitate in hopes that maybe someone would show him pity. Yet, all was still and silent. He even waited, played a scale three times in case someone does come. But no one appeared to plead for him to stop. Depressed and heartbroken, he flew up a tree to tie a rope to a strong branch, ready to bid farewell to the world.
However, just as he was about to put the noose around his neck, the three pegasi colts intervened. “Now Papageno, use your brain! We live but once, so think again!”
“You’re here with your advice again.” The bird-catcher crossed his arms. “But to avoid romantic pain, go away and just abstain!”
But the colts asked what about his bells, if they brought her once, then perhaps they could again. Realized that he had forgotten all about them, he takes the box out. “Now start your ringing, bells, start ringing.” He sang. “My lovely gal I want to see!”
And so turning the crank desperately as they sang a new tune, he called out: “Make your sound, O little bells! Bring my maiden here!” As he repeated this a few times, the young hippogriff walked out from the temple of Nature. And with a coy smile, she quietly snuck up behind him as he called his heart out to her.
As he hadn’t noticed, the three pegasi colts sang to him, “Now Papageno, turn around!”
At first, as the violins began a sort of minuet, Papageno did turn around but found no one there. Papagena swiftly moved right behind him like a foal’s game until, for a stunned moment, both of them saw one another.
“Pa… Pa… Pa…” He shuttered to say her name, just as much as she did with his. There was some giggling in the audience before he was able to say, “Pa-Pa-Pa-Papagena! ….Will you be mine forever?”
“Yes, I’m yours forever!” she sang hugging him.
“Are you really mine completely?”
“Yes, I’m yours completely!”
“What a pleasure it would be… When the gods look down and smile… and for our love, we soon provide children growing by our side.” They sang together in harmony, “Children small. Children small… Children small, and for our love soon provide children growing by our side!”
“First a little Papageno!” The bird-catcher sang pridefully.
“Then a little Papagena!” His wife sang just as proud.
“Then a little Papageno!”
“Then a little Papagena!”
“Papageno!”
“Papagena!”
“Papagena!”
“Papageno!”
At the height of this excitement, they paused as his new wife smiled. “That is the highest of all feelings.” As they repeated this line (along with their names) they entered into a sort of dance, twisting ‘round, wings flaring open and closed as they hold onto each other’s claw. Their voices chirped like birds but with the intensity of making love in the strangest but most poetic of ways. Near the end, their dance became faster until the last few bars when Papageno picked her up, spun her around in his arms before tripping onto the floor. To make the moment complete, she kissed him, he closed his eyes, and at the last note, the lights went out to the sound of applause.
Then the Changelings morph into the final scene. This time to the top of the mountain where among the rocky, twisting pathway, stood at the very top a golden pyramid with a door. Lights came up in a blue twilight color, to reveal Monostatos the Zebra and the Queen of the Night with her star mares, all in armor. As the orchestra moved to a creeping, quiet air, Monostatos told the others to be quiet as they neared the holy of holies to force their way in.
“Oh Queen,” Monostatos reminds her, “keep your word, your daughter must become my wife.”
The dark alicorn replied, “You have my word – it is my will. That she is destined to be your wife.”
Just as they began the climb, a thunderous noise was heard, unnerving the Zebra, knowing that the priests must be at the door by now. Determined, however, the Queen insisted on confronting them. “We’ll wipe the bigots from the world,” they sang together as they neared the door, “with burning fire and mighty sword! To you, great Queen of the Night, may our victim of vengeance be brought!”
However, just as they were about to touch the door, it flew open and a brilliant light blasted them off the mountain. So hurt by this sunlight, they were forced to flee as stage lights all around became brighter, showing the warm colors of dawn. But the greatest part was the sun that rose from behind the temple. There were ahhs from the audience as the priesthood in all their robes entered from all sides of the stage. Even Sarastro walked out of the pyramid in which both the prince and princess went around and stood in front of him.
“The bright rays of sunshine,” Sarastro sang with pride, “disperse away the night! Destroying the schemers their ill-gotten might.”
As the choir of priests hails the initiates, Sarastro opened his wings as he took both Tamino’s and Pamina’s hooves and drew them near to touch. Silently, he gives them his blessing. While the brotherhood gives thanks to Ma’am and Thoth for this triumph of wisdom, a flying chariot drawn by lions came in which, with parting words and a hug from Sarastro, the couple boarded on.
The couple kissed before climbing on, and immediately, the lion drawn chariot took off, circling around the audience, and with the last few bars of sounding trumpets, the opera was drawn to a close, with every Changeling on stage finally dropping their disguise.
Applause, whistles, and stomping of hooves rang all around. Putting down the baton I turned around to face them all. From the youngest Changeling to Princess Celestia, all were standing and cheering. Just the idea of Celestia approving the music was something I thought I would never see when I wrote the opera all those years ago.
On stage, the Changelings did their curtain call as those from the sets to the leading actors took turns bowing. But then, they did something surprising. They went over to where members of the orchestra sat, picked them up and gently placed them in the middle of the stage. Even I was given the same treatment as two of them lifted me up and onto the stone for all to see. In an instant, every musician knew what to do.
We turned to our audience and bowed.