Mozart was a genius. And more than 200 years after his death in 1791, some of us still feel wonderful delight from his music.
One of the 4 Operas I have enjoyed for so many years is “Die Zauberfloete” (The Magic Flute).
Right at the beginning of this Opera we get to meet Papageno, the bird-catcher. He is sad at first, because he is still single. But toward the end of the opera he finally meets “Papagena”, who was disguised earlier as an ugly old lady.
This leads to a happy romp in which the composer delights us with the newly delighted lovers.
In subsequent years musical arrangements for instrumental groups have appeared, and I heard one of these today, scored for a wind group. Very nice instrumentation of the original voices:
