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Meet Papageno, the bird catcher....
PAPAGENO
A merry man, I earn my pay
By catching birds, hip hip hooray!
My service ever in demand,
My fame has spread across the land.
My pipe I play, my snares I set,
Then lure the birds into my net,
And how my eyes light up with pride
To see my feathered friends inside.
And yet despite my great success
One secret need I must confess:
Though birds provide my daily bread,
The girls I want to catch instead.
From dozens I would choose the one
To love and share a life of fun.
No squirming captive in a net,
I'd make of her a pampered pet.
My bride to-be I shall entice
With candied sugarplums and spice.
And then we'll sing a song so sweet
No pair of turtledoves can beat.
Tamino sees a picture of the lovely Princess....
TAMINO
So fair a face beyond compare;
With eyes that sparkle and inspire!
A vision of beauty and divinity
That fills my heart with light and air,
The Three Ladies present Tamino with a magic flute.
THREE LADIES
This tone can pacify the devil,
Turn mountain peaks and valleys level;
The sad of heart find fresh delight,
And day is born of darkest night.
ALL
Ah! A priceless treasure
With soothing tone from heaven sent,
Spreading peace and gentle light
In a world of discontent,
Our world of discontent.
They also provide him with an escort.
THREE LADIES
The journey calls for three convoys,
Best and brightest girls and boys.
The winding road you will be shown;
Heed their advice and theirs alone.
Malevolent Monostatos eyes the sleeping beauty....
MONOSTATOS
All come welcome to the table,
And the doors are open wide.
Starved for love, though strong and able,
Why alone am I denied?
Am I not a man of feeling,
Also made a flesh and blood?
When the hope of love comes stealing,
Must I nip it in the bud?
Yes, my waiting game is over;
Now alert and wide awake,
Quite as worthy as another,
What I want I mean to take.
Starry night is made for loving,
Not for caution and delay.
Watchful moon, if disapproving,
Kindly look the other way.
The Queen of the Night rises in wrath.
QUEEN
The fire of hell has made my heart a furnace.
Death to Sarastro!
In rage and in despair your mother cries.
I want him slain,
And turn to you, my daughter,
To plunge the lethal dagger.
By your own hand, this day Sarastro dies,
Or not again
Shall I call you child of mine,
No beloved child of mine.
My one and only daughter I disown.
A word from wise Sarastro.....
SARASTRO
Within these halls so hallowed
We leave no room for wrath.
The lost that blindly wander
Are shown the lighted path.
Here guided by a loving hand
We journey toward a higher land.
Within these halls of wisdom
Where side by side we strive,
No slave of hate can enter,
Nor seed of vengeance thrive.
Until a person longs to learn,
The name of man he's yet to earn.
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List of Donald Pippin's English Versions
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