The Magic Flute

Originally commissioned by the Viennese music-hall impresario Emanuel Schikaneder, Mozart’s Magic Flute has triumphed over these humble beginnings to become one of the most widely performed and best-loved operas in the international repertory. Over the centuries, Mozart’s inspired whimsy and profoundly serious symbolism have been interpreted by artists as varied as Marc Chagall and David Hockney. Now, with elegant verve, Davide Pizzigoni translates Mozart’s celebrated musical motifs into such charming visual motifs as quirky faces, extravagant shoes, and unexpected flowers. The new translation of the Schikaneder/Mozart libretto by poet and librettist J. D. McClatchy takes an equally fresh and amusing approach, as does his lighthearted but illuminating introduction. The inventive design of the book stages the opera on the page, giving each reader front-row seats at a dazzlingly original performance.