EMMANUEL SCHIKANEDER / WOLFGANG AMADE MOZART

Die Zauberflöte

Notes on the Libretto

The text is transcribed from the original published libretto (Ignaz Alberti, Wien, 1791), as reproduced in facsimile by the Wiener Bibliophilen Gesellschaft in 1942. The text, orthography, punctuation, abbreviations, and general layout have been preserved to the extent possible. The character ?? has been rendered as "tz", and no distinction is made between the characters ?? and ??, both rendered as "s"

There are numerous differences between the text of the published libretto and the "standard" version of the work as set to music and performed. The more significant variations are noted below.

I.1 (Introduction: stage instruction) in einem prächtigen javonischen [sic] Jagdkleide. The original spelling is interesting, because although it is usually rendered as japonischen (Japanese), it could equally likely be read as javanischen (Javanese).
I.2 (Aria Papageno): there is no 3rd stanza (likewise in the autograph score); lines 3 and 12, the 3rd lines of each stanza, are in the 3rd person rather than the 1st person (ist rather than bin)
I.3, line 15 (stage instruction): seinen Scherz durch Geberden instead of seinen Schmerz durch Geberden ausgedrückt
I.15, line 5 (Tamino): Kleinen instead of Knaben
I.17, before line 1: No echo by Monostatos of Nur geschwinde
I.17, line 16 (Papageno, Pamina): not set
I.17, lines 37-40 (Papageno, Pamina): not set
I.19, lines 28-29: Choral echo lines not set
II.1, line 1 (Sarastro): Göttin instead of Götter
II.1, line 12: the musical number is identified as a Chorus rather than an Aria with chorus
II.5, line 25 (Quintet - Tamino): "verworfne" instead of "gemeine"
II.8, line 14 (Königin): "Gewölber" instead of "Gemächer"
II.8, line 26 (Aria - Königin): "Rache, Götter" instead of "Rachegötter"
II.21, lines 31-32 (Terzett): Tamino joins Sarastro rather than Pamina
II.26, line 3 (Finale): finstre Irrwahn instead of Aberglaube
II.26, lines 11-16: set for all three boys
II.28, line 9 (Tamino): the following line, Ich wage froh den kühnen Lauf is not in the libretto, presumably a typographical error.
II.28, lines 18-19 (Geharnischte): these two lines are clearly intended to be sung by Tamino as well, though not so indicated. (The following two lines were also of course set for the trio.)
II.28, lines 42-45: sung by Pamina only, rather than both Pamina and Tamino; dein Ton may thus refer to Tamino rather than the flute.
II.29, lines 11-12: Herzenstäubchen and liebes Weibchen rather than Herzensweibchen and liebes Täubchen
II.29, line 20 (Papageno): schwarze Welt rather than falsche Welt
II.29, lines 56-61 (Drei Knaben): not set
II.29, line 82 (Papageno, Weib): Der Segen froher Ältern seyn instead of Der Ältern Segen werden seyn
II.29, lines 83-86 (Papageno, Weib): not set

Also included are Schikaneder's musical instructions (not necessarily observed by Mozart), as in Monostatos' aria (II.7)

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22 Oct 2005