Tickets
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Dates
Location
Approximate timings
The performance lasts approximately 3 hours and 5 minutes, including one interval.
Act I:
1 hour 10 minutes
Interval:
25 minutes
Act II:
1 hour 30 minutes
Accessibility
- Audio Described
- BSL Interpreted
- Family Friendly
- Touch Tour
Expand all dates
Sunday 13 December, 3:00 pm
Thursday 17 December, 7:15 pm
Wednesday 30 December, 12:00 pm
Guidance
Content suitable for all. Children under the age of five are not permitted into our theatres. Children over the age of five must have their own ticket and sit next to an accompanying adult.
This production contains themes of suicide.
Language
Sung in German with English surtitles, which are displayed on screens above the stage and around the auditorium.
Generous support from
Exceptional philanthropic support from
Royal Ballet and Opera Principal The Julia Rausing Trust
Generous philanthropic support from
Huo Family Foundation
Schools' Matinees are generously supported by
The Taylor Family Foundation, The Gerald and Gail Ronson Family Foundation and David and Molly Lowell Borthwick
Synopsis
The story of The Magic Flute
Prince Tamino promises the Queen of the Night that he will rescue her daughter Pamina from the enchanter Sarastro. He begins his quest, accompanied by the bird-catcher Papageno – but all is not as it seems… Tamino and Papageno discover Sarastro is a wise and kind leader. They undergo three ordeals. By the end they are united with their true loves: Tamino with Pamina, and Papageno with his Papagena.
Read the full synopsis
Creatives
The artists and creatives behind the production
Libretto
Director
Designer
Lighting Designer
Movement Director
Discover
With the Queen of the Night’s showstopping arias, an Overture that fizzes with energy, Papageno’s catchy tunes and sublime melodies for Pamina and Tamino, the music of The Magic Flute leaves no heart uncharmed.
Mozart’s last opera
The history
The Magic Flute was Mozart’s last opera before his untimely death at the age of 35. The premiere took place on September 30, 1791, not in a royal theatre, but the popular Vienna Theater auf der Wieden. The actor Emanuel Schikaneder wrote the libretto and played the role of Papageno. It was a huge success from the outset – although some of Mozart’s masonic colleagues were offended by the opera’s references to their customs: a closely guarded secret.
A viral hit
The music
Mozart’s The Magic Flute features ‘Der Hölle Rache’ (‘The wrath of hell’) - the famous aria sung by the Queen of the Night to her daughter, Pamina. Do not be fooled by the switch from the minor to the major key: this is an aria that smoulders with fury throughout, as the Queen threatens to disown her daughter if she refuses to kill her enemy, Sarastro. The aria is a masterclass in coloratura singing (fast-moving notes and virtuoso technique) reaching the stratospheric heights of F6. That’s two and a half octaves above middle C! Soprano Diana Damrau’s performance of the aria has racked up over 75 million views on our Youtube channel.
To find out more about The Magic Flute, including key plot points and background information: read our Opera Essentials: The Magic Flute
Aria Highlight: 'Der Hölle Rache' (The wrath of hell) – The Queen of the Night Aria
Gallery
Reviews
Accessibility and resources
Listen to the audio guide for The Magic Flute on SoundCloud.
There is lift access and there are step-free routes to over 100 seats in the Stalls Circle, Balcony and Amphitheatre. Some seats in the Stalls Circle, Balcony, Amphitheatre and the Donald Gordon Grand Tier are accessed by 9 steps or fewer. There are 10 steps or more to access seats in the Orchestra Stalls.
You can use the assistive listening systems in our auditoriums. Surtitles, captions and translations in English are displayed on screens above the stage and around the auditorium.
Join our Access Scheme for priority access to tickets and to inform us of your access requirements.
See our Accessibility page for more information or view a visitors guide (PDF, 12.0 MB).
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