One of Mozart’s most well-known operas is The Magic Flute, which is classified as a Singspiel. A Singspiel is a German comic opera-play that connects musical numbers with spoken dialogue. The content, called the libretto, was considered simple, silly, and easy to follow. This simplicity made it a popular form of entertainment among people of the lower and middle classes. Mozart collaborated with, the librettist, Emanuel Schihander in the creation of this Singspiel. They chose to write The Magic Flute as a Singspiel because they wanted it to be view across a wide audience. Mozart and Schihander were both freemasonry members and filled the libretto and musical score with symbolism of Masonic ideals and rituals. It’s unclear of their intentions were for sharing these Masonic views with a large audience. One theory is that knowing Masonry practices were soon to be outlawed, Mozart wanted to share the knowledge he gained as a Mason. He appeared to have been strongly influenced …show more content…
They believed in the equality of all men despite social statuses, freedom of one’s religious preferences and expression, and a man’s own authority over their rights. The Roman Catholic Church venomously disapproved of freemasonry practices and viewed Masons as a threat to their clerical authority and power over the people in society. This led to Pope Benedict XII issuing the Papal Bull In Eminenti in 1738, proclaiming anyone who associated themselves as a Mason member was to be ex-communicated. The Church then used its influence to pressure the Habsburgs, a prominent ruling family that ruled over large territories throughout Europe, to outlaw Masonry practices. By the time Mozart began composing The Magic Flute, Masonry practices had already been outlawed in many European countries and he knew it was only a matter of time before it would be outlawed in Austria as