The Magic Flute

Synopsis

*Amazon Editors' 2023 Holiday Gift Pick*

Discover the sorcery of The Magic Flute in this musical retelling of the opera - push the button on each beautiful scene to hear the vivid sound of an orchestra playing, and singers singing, from Mozart's score.

This classic opera, reworked for the benefit of younger readers, tells a tale of a prince, a princess and a magic flute, which begins in a mountain ridge between two magical lands. Prince Tamino enters, chased by a dragon, but three brave mountain rangers gallop past on horseback to rescue him.

His cowardly friend Papageno comes out from his hiding place and they revive the prince. The rangers ask for one favour in return. Their boss, the Queen of the Night, asks Prince Tamino to rescue her daughter, Princess Pamina, from the evil Sun King. She gives Tamino a magic flute and Papageno some magic bells to help them.

The story follows Prince Tamino as he breaks into the Sun King's palace, charms the court with his magic flute, and gets caught by the guards. Will the prince escape with the princess?

As you and your little one journey through the magical scenes, you will press the buttons to hear 10 excerpts from the opera's music. Readers should press firmly on the pages to activate the sounds, encouraging interactive learning and introducing children to this beautiful piece of music.

At the back of the book, find a short biography of the composer, Mozart, with details about his composition of The Magic Flute. Next to this, you can replay the musical excerpts and, for each of them, read a discussion of the instruments, rhythms and musical techniques that make them so powerful. A glossary defines musical terms.

The Story Orchestra series brings classical music to life for children through gorgeously illustrated retellings of classic ballet, opera and program music stories paired with 10-second sound clips of orchestras playing from their musical scores. With The Story Orchestra keyboard sound books, children can play the famous melodies themselves with the sound of a real grand piano.

Also available from the series: I Can Play (vol 1), Carnival of the Animals, Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker and Four Seasons in One Day.

Manufacturer's note: please pull the white tab out of the back of the book before use. Sound buttons require a firm push in exact location to work, which may be hard for young children. All sound clips are 10 seconds long.

The perfect primer to introduce children to classical music.

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Summary

The Magic Flute is a classic story from The Story Orchestra series, written by Jessica Courtney-Tickle. It tells the story of brave hero, Papageno, who embarks on a magical adventure with the help of the royal family, his fairy godparents, and a magical musical instrument – the Magic Flute.

Chapter One:
As the story begins, Papageno is working as a lowly bird catcher, worried that he will never find someone who loves him. Suddenly, a bright light shines down from the sky, and a fairy godmother appears. She tells Papageno that he will have good luck if he takes up the challenge of playing the Magic Flute.

Chapter Two:
Papageno is then taken to a castle far away where the players of the Magic Flute gather. Once the King and Queen and their courtiers hear about the magical instrument, the King and Queen decide to give it to Papageno as a special gift. They also agree to let him choose a magical creature to go with him on his journey.

Chapter Three:
As Papageno and his magical friend prepare to depart, they are joined by the King and Queen and their courtiers. The group makes their way to a mysterious forest where they must pass three tests to gain entry. Papageno and his magical friend overcome each test with the help of the magical powers of the Magic Flute.

Chapter Four:
Upon entering the forest, the group discovers that the forest is filled with wondrous creatures. Papageno and his magical friend explore the forest and encounter a group of cute and curious little trolls who beg them to sing a song. Papageno obliges, and his beautiful voice casts a spell over the trolls, causing them to join in the song.

Chapter Five:
The group continues through the forest until they reach a castle where the Queen of the Night resides. Papageno and his magical friend are invited into the castle, and they soon realize that the Queen of the Night is none other than the fairy godmother that gave Papageno the Magic Flute!

Chapter Six:
The Queen of the Night gives Papageno the task of using the Magic Flute to defeat the evil dragon that has been terrorizing her kingdom. Papageno and his magical friend set off to face the dragon and Papageno successfully defeats the dragon with the help of the Magic Flute’s magical powers.

Chapter Seven:
With the dragon defeated, the Queen of the Night rewards Papageno with a handsome prince to court. Papageno and his prince fall in love, and with help from the King and Queen, they are married. At the end of the story, the magical music of the Magic Flute rings out as the audience is transported to the land of fairy tales.

The story of The Magic Flute is a timeless classic, full of adventure, magic, and romance. It is the perfect story for children to enjoy and learn from, teaching them that with a little bravery and courage, they can achieve anything they set their minds to. With its beautiful music, colorful characters, and exciting plot, The Magic Flute will surely delight and captivate the hearts of children everywhere.