☝️ Key Points
- Papageno, the bird catcher, is desperate in search of his beloved Papagena and, due to his sadness, contemplates suicide.
- Three celestial messengers encourage Papageno to ring his magical bells to summon Papagena instead of taking his own life.
- Papageno follows the advice, rings the bells, and Papagena appears. The two find each other and rejoice in a future together.
- The song ends with a duet where Papageno and Papagena express their love for each other and their anticipation of their future children.
Interpretation
The lyrics of the song "Papageno" from the opera "The Magic Flute" by
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart tell the story of a character named Papageno who is desperately searching for love. Papageno is a bird catcher and longs for a companion whom he calls Papagena.
At the beginning of the song, Papageno is filled with despair because he believes he has lost his beloved Papagena. He feels unhappy and even contemplates suicide because he believes he cannot live without love: "This tree here I want to adorn, Hang myself from it, Because life displeases me. Good night, dark world!"
However, three boys, who represent heavenly messengers, save him from suicide and remind him that one only lives once. They encourage Papageno to ring his magical bells to summon his beloved Papagena.
Papageno follows their advice and calls Papagena with the bells. When Papagena appears, they finally find each other and rejoice in a future together with many children. The song ends with a joyful duet in which they express their love for each other and their anticipation of their future children: "What joy it will be when the gods bless us and give us children of our love, dear little children."