In 2026, the musical world will be celebrating the 270th anniversary of the birth of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, a genius whose work has changed the history of music forever.
On January 18, 2026, the Primorsky Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre will commemorate this momentous occasion with a performance of the composer’s last opera, Die Zauberflöte. Written in 1791, shortly before the composer’s death, this opera became a kind of spiritual testament and embodied all the wisdom, mastery, and humanity of its creator.
Die Zauberflöte is a unique synthesis of genres. Mozart and his librettist, Emanuel Schikaneder, created a piece in the then-popular Singspiel form (a German comic opera with spoken dialogue), but imbued it with ideas of the Age of Enlightenment about the triumph of light over darkness, good over evil, and reason over prejudice. The music of the opera is incredibly multifaceted, ranging from the simple and playful ditties of Papageno to the sublime and complex arias of the Queen of the Night, from the lyrical melodies of Tamino and Pamina to the solemn chorales of the Priests. It is this sophisticated palette that makes the opera simultaneously intelligible and profound.
The musical content of Die Zauberflöte poses complex and varied challenges before the performers. The soprano who performs the part of the Queen of the Night should have not only a virtuoso coloratura and impeccable high notes, but also should be able to dramatically convey the character’s transformation from a grieving mother to a vengeful fury. The parts of Tamino and Pamina require noble, cantilena-like singing, conveying the full range of emotions from despair to jubilation.
On January 18, 2026, this opera will be performed by soloists of the Opera Company and the Mariinsky Orchestra of the Primorsky Stage conducted by Dušan Vilić. Aygiz Gizatullin, Ilya Astafurov, Anastasia Gensler, Alina Mikhailik, Liliya Kadnikova, Nikita Odalin, Alexei Smirnov, Irina Novikova, Natalia Yakimova, Irina Kolodyazhnaya, Vsevolod Marilov, and Azamat Malyshov will appear on the stage of the Great Hall.
