Opera in German outskirts of the city. In 1791, he persuaded Mozart to set one of his libretti, "The Magic Flute". This proved to be no ordinary "Singspiel". Though the traditional farcical elements remained, Mozart added a new seriousness, particularly in the music for Sarastro and his priests. Even more than "Die Entführung", the "Magic Flute" pointed the way forward for future German opera. The greatest German composer of the next generation, Beethoven, seized on "The Magic Flute"'s blend of domestic comedy and high seriousness for his only opera, "Fidelio", the story of a devoted wife who saves her husband from political imprisonment.
The Magic Flute (ballet) issued on the label London. The ballet has been re-staged in several versions, notably by Peter Martins for the School of American Ballet. This production was first presented on 9 May 1981. A second premiere was given by the New York City Ballet on 21 January 1982, at the New York State Theater, Lincoln Center with décor designed by David Mitchell, costumes by Ben Benson. List of scenes and dances from "The Magic Flute" taken from the published piano score and the original program of 1893. All libretti and programs of works performed on the stages of the Imperial Russian