Mozart as master caricaturist in Die Zauberflöte

Mozart's final (or second to last, depending on how you count it) opera is The Magic Flute, or Die Zauberflöte. It's a type of German light opera called singspiel that includes both spoken dialogue and musical numbers. 

The segregation between "speech" and "singing" in singspiel has created a false sense that drama happens during the speeches, and static emotional expression happens in song. In reality, plenty happens during the music. Mozart is a master caricaturist, capable of representing any number of emotions in seamless rapidity. The Queen of the Night's first aria, "O zittre nicht," ranges from regality to piteousness, and ends with imperious bravura. Pamina's aria "Ah! ich fühl’s" delicately traces her emotional journey from grief to despair.

But my favorite is the duet between Papageno and Papagena. Here, Mozart captures not only the characters' quicksilver joy, but even sketches out the arc of a happy marriage, moving through eight stations -- or stato d'animo, to use the Italian phrase.

The duet takes place right after Papageno is reunited with his mate, Papagena, after much travail. At first (1), the staccato strings and voices convey a poignant hesitation -- Papageno can't believe his eyes, and Papagena, also adopting staccati, is mindful of Papageno's incredulity.

This quickly gives way to (2), as the lovers declare "Bist du mir nun ganz gegeben? / Nun bin ich dir ganz gegeben:" Are you really mine now? / Now I am really yours. Papageno feels confident finally, and Mozart's vocal lines exchange staccati for a declamatory legato.

This happiness segues to a change of mood in (3) and (4) as, now in unison, they sing: "Unsrer Liebe Kinder schenken." Now the vocal line is legato, the mood reverent. The lovers feel blessed, and the choral-like texture suggested a sacred ritual, such as marriage.

This being Papageno and Papagena, though, the mood doesn't last; in (5), they burst into excited plans on the children they will have (and, implicitly, the activities that precede): "Erst einen kleinen Papageno. / Dann eine kleine Papagena." First a little Papageno / Then a little Papagena. 

This, though, produces their first little quarrel, as they can't agree having sons or daughters, culminating in a dissonant dominant seventh (6). But the bad mood immediately dissipates; with what is clearly a smile, Papageno picks up in a conciliatory and ebullient manner: "Es ist das höchste der Gefühle, / Wenn viele, viele, viele, viele..." It is a great feeling / That many, many, many -- children will come.

Papagena agrees, and the texture of the vocal lines changes at this point (7). First Papageno and then Papagena get a chance to do little vocal flourish rapid staccati, which is supported by the other singing the harmony. It's a perfect encapsulation of an ideal relationship: one partner supporting the other's vibrant expression.

Having moved through: hesitation (1), joy (2), reverence at good fortune (3), excitement (4) that careens into a bit of a quarrel (5) that is quickly resolved (6), a blossoming of individual expression (7), the duet moves, finally, to its joyous ending in unison (8).

All this in the space of less than three minutes!

(The duet also says a lot about gender roles in a marriage. All the changes in mood and vocal texture are started by Papageno; he is clearly the leader, and Papagena his follower. That's not to say she's without volition, though: she's not afraid to butt heads with her to-be husband, and it's his job to negotiate and reconcile.)