Which Craft?: W. A. Mozart and the Magic Flute

The Magic Flute has elicited a wide range of interpretations. From simple fairy tale to Masonic allegory, every meaning seems to have been explored. Yet the mystery remains. Mozart himself was less than helpful, leaving only inconsequential accounts of the work’s conception. His untimely death, on December 5th 1791, a couple of months after the premiere has fueled additional controversies.

The composer’s personal letters, in which The Magic Flute is mentioned, contain mostly trivial reports ...