Running time approximately 2 hours 50 minutes.

Sung in English with surtitles in English and Welsh

Pre-performance talks at 6.15pm except Sunday 26 September at 3pm.

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Act 1

Tamino, a wandering prince, is being pursued by a serpent. Three ladies, servants of the Queen of Night, kill it. Tamino recovers to find the serpent dead. He hears Papageno, a bird catcher, approaching. He hides. Papageno expresses his longing for a young wife. Tamino asks him where he is and who saved him from the serpent. Papageno claims the credit and the three ladies return and punish him. They give Tamino a present from their Queen - a portrait of her daughter Pamina. Tamino falls in love. The ladies are delighted that Tamino will attempt to rescue Pamina from her abductor, Sarastro. The Queen laments the loss of her daughter, and incites Tamino to avenge her. The ladies release Papageno and order him to accompany the prince. They give Tamino a magic flute to guard him in danger. Papageno is given magic bells. Three boys are to guide them to Sarastro’s temple.

Tamino has sent Papageno on ahead to announce their arrival. Papageno finds Pamina and helps her to escape from her guard, Monostatos. The boys lead Tamino to the temples of Nature, Reason and Wisdom. At the door of the latter he encounters Sarastro’s deputy, the Speaker. He learns to think differently about Sarastro, and discovers that Pamina is still alive. He plays his flute which enchants the wild animals. Hearing Papageno’s pipes, he goes to look for him. Papageno and Pamina are caught by Monostatos. Papageno plays his magic bells, and Monostatos and his slaves dance away. Sarastro and his community enter. Papageno hides. Pamina confesses her escape to Sarastro. Monostatos now brings his latest captive, Tamino. Instead of rewarding him, Sarastro punishes him for attempting to seduce Pamina. Sarastro proposes Tamino as an initiate to their brotherhood. The Speaker and Priest are dubious. Sarastro takes Tamino into the temple.
Interval

Act 2

Sarastro and his followers discuss Tamino’s fitness for their priesthood. Sarastro prays for guidance for Tamino and Pamina during their trials. The Speaker and the Priest begin the preliminary ritual. The three ladies appear and unsuccessfully attempt to lure Tamino and Pamina back to the Queen. The Speaker and Priest congratulate the initiates on enduring the first trial. They lead them on to the next. Monostatos is thrown in, after his punishment. He sees Pamina and desires her again. The Queen gives Pamina a dagger, and orders her to use it to kill Sarastro. Pamina is torn between her love for her mother and her loyalty to Sarastro. Monostatos tries to take advantage of her despair, but Sarastro banishes him.

Tamino and Papageno undergo the trial of silence. Papagena assumes the disguise of an old lady. Watched by the two priests, she chats to Papageno. The three boys return the bells and the magic flute. They give the men food and drink. Papageno is so obsessed with food and drink that he is unable to speak to Pamina when she asks him why Tamino won’t speak to her. She is heartbroken. Papageno hides.

The priests anticipate Tamino’s triumph in the most dangerous trial. The priests find Papageno but say he does not want enlightenment, only a glass of wine. Papagena, still disguised, makes him promise to be faithful forever. Seeing this as his only way out of eternal imprisonment, Papageno agrees, and then is delighted to see that his bride-to-be is young and beautiful. The priests separate them.

The three boys persuade a suicidal Pamina that Tamino really loves her. They lead her to him. She joins Tamino in the ordeals by fire and water. Protected by Tamino’s magic flute, the two emerge triumphant. Papageno has lost Papagena, and is desperate. He wants to hang himself, but first appeals to any woman to offer herself to stop him. No answer. He wraps the rope around his neck. The boys remind him of his magic bells. He plays them, and Papagena appears. They run off to consummate their love.

Monostatos leads the Queen and her ladies in a surreptitious attack on the temple, but they are defeated by Sarastro and his followers. All praise Tamino and Pamina and the triumph of truth.