The Eternal Magic of the Magic Flute

Visitors get costumes at the landing point

Some blog posts are written within minutes, some are circling in my head for days and days. This is one of those. The Magic Flute by Mozart is not only his most successful opera, but one of the most fequently played worldwide. It accompanied me since my childhood and I probably know too much about it. So much could be said, but what is important for you to give you an idea about Giovanna Cerise’s work?

It took Giovanna more than one year of preparatory work. Understandable; the plot is convoluted, complex, illogical and with many twists. What is it about? It's about couples in love and war, power plays and the way of personal growth. So, somehow about the whole life…

I think only we silly Germans distinguish between serious and popular music. Of course, Mozart is considered as to be one of the serious and therefore all works are expected to have a deep and serious meaning. But do they really have? Although he made big money, Mozart was at that time in financial problems and Schikaneder, the librettist, had to run a successful theater. This opera was written within a few months. Is that enough time to write a deep and thoughtful work? I think, the two just wanted to write a hit, took a mixture of themes of their personal interest where everyone could identify themselves somehow, corresponding to the Zeitgeist and fashion trend. A bit like Disney movies nowadays. A continuous and understandable story was obviously of minor significance. And they've done so extraordinary well that until today everyone, from old to young, watch this opera with great pleasure. Not to forget the wonderful music and the many "hits" that emerged from the opera. A real all time bestseller of entertainment!

The opera was interpreted quite differently, politically revolutionary, conservative politically, psychologically and in the spirit of the age of Enlightenment and Freemasonry. Giovanna Cerise has chosen the last ones, which is for me the most important and interesting. It is about the way of personal growth trough standing tests as in the rituals of Freemasonery. Mozart and Schikaneder both has been Freemasons. It was a brotherhood and as everything revolutionary in the Aera of Elightment was meant just to be for men.The lodges of freemasonery played an important role as meeting circles of intelectuals to share the new ideas. Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité (Liberty, Equality, Fraternity) was the leitmotif of the French revolution which spread all over Europe. Do you know that Olympe de Gouges lost her life in the French revolution because she expected Fraternité (brotherhood) as to be meant as well for women? Mozart and Schikaneder didn't care and let Tamino together with his love Pamina enter the temple.

And just as Giovanna has focused to follow this one theme, she has focused her installation on almost sketches. It displays the stations of the opera and the tests of maturity, discretion and perseverance. But even if Giovanna focuses on the essential, it is a hard way; easy to lose orientation or to fall. But we are in SL and you are allowed to fly;) Finally you end up as the heroes in the temple of Isis and Osiris, incorporated to the circle of the wise. At each station you can click on musical notes and hear quotations from the opera. Please set your viewer for maximum enjoyment at least on medium or raise up particles.

I think It’s time for me to see the beautiful opera again. Thank you, Giovanna!
Wonderful work!

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