Stories from Opera ?

[Handley_Page]

It struck me the other day that some of the "grand" opera could provide a fair number of plots for writers. However, I ask of anyone who understands "The Magic Flute", what the 'ell has upset the Queen of the Night ?
In that famous aria she comes over like a shrieking Harpy trying to persuade her Daughter to kill Sarastro.

Hell's vengeance boils in my heart;
Death and despair blaze around me!
If Sarastro does not feel the pain of death because of you,
Then you will be my daughter nevermore.

Disowned be forever,
Forsaken be forever,
Shattered be forever
All the bonds of nature
If Sarastro does not turn pale [in death] because of you!
Hear, gods of vengeance, hear the mother's oath!


What I'd love to know is ' what had Sarastro done to deserve this ? '

 

[sr71plt]

Probably upstaged her and picked his nose during her death scene aria.

 

[Stella_Omega]

Funny, I just re-watched "Amadeus" a couple of weeks ago. Hulse's portrayal is a perfect type-- all of the struggling young male musicians that I know, and I know pah-lenty of those...

 

[oggbashan]

It struck me the other day that some of the "grand" opera could provide a fair number of plots for writers. However, I ask of anyone who understands "The Magic Flute", what the 'ell has upset the Queen of the Night ?
In that famous aria she comes over like a shrieking Harpy trying to persuade her Daughter to kill Sarastro.

Hell's vengeance boils in my heart;
Death and despair blaze around me!
If Sarastro does not feel the pain of death because of you,
Then you will be my daughter nevermore.

Disowned be forever,
Forsaken be forever,
Shattered be forever
All the bonds of nature
If Sarastro does not turn pale [in death] because of you!
Hear, gods of vengeance, hear the mother's oath!


What I'd love to know is ' what had Sarastro done to deserve this ? '

Taken their daughter away from her (the Queen's) evil influence.

A typical custody battle as seen in divorce courts every day...

 

[MlledeLaPlumeBleu]

The entire opera is a vast Masonic metaphor. Sarastro is supposed to represent Ignaz von Born, who was the most prominent Mason in Vienna at the time. The Queen of the Night is arguably supposed to be a proxy for Marie Therese, and stands for "repression, conservativism and ambition toward absolute power".