pursued by a dragon.

被巨龍追逐著

Just as it rears up to devour him,

就在巨龍起身準備吞噬他時

three mysterious ladies appear

出現了三位神秘的女子

and slay the dragon with their fierce battle cry.

以兇猛的怒吼殺死了巨龍

So begins Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's "Die Zauberflöte,"

以此開始了沃夫岡·阿瑪迪斯·莫扎特的 "Die Zauberflöte"

or "The Magic Flute."

或稱「魔笛」

This fantasy singspiel,

這齣奇幻歌劇

a type of folk opera with music and dialogue,

是一種音樂加對話的民間歌劇

premiered in 1791 in Vienna.

1791年在維也納首演

Though it may seem like a childish fairytale,

儘管看起來像是個稚氣的童話故事

this intricate opera is full of subversive symbolism,

這齣複雜的歌劇充滿了 顛覆性的象徵主義

and it's now regarded as one of the most influential operas in history.

現已被公認是歷史上 最具影響力的歌劇之一

Tamino's run in with the dragon is only the start of his journey.

塔米諾撞見龍，只是他旅程的起始

The three women summon their leader, the Queen of the Night.

那三位侍女喚來了她們的領袖：夜后

She, in turn, sends Tamino on a quest to rescue her daughter Pamina

夜后反過來交代塔米諾一項任務： 拯救她的女兒帕蜜娜

from the evil sorcerer, Sarastro.

以掙脫邪惡祭司薩拉斯妥的魔爪

And to help him on his journey, she gives him the titular magic flute.

為了在旅程中助他一臂之力， 她給他一支名義上的「魔笛」

Tamino eventually finds Pamina at Sarastro's temple,

塔米諾終究在薩拉斯妥的寺廟裡 找到帕蜜娜

but behind enemy lines,

但在敵後

Tamino and Pamina learn that they're on the wrong side.

塔米諾和帕蜜娜發現他倆站錯了邊

The Queen of Night actually wants to plunge the world into darkness.

夜后實際上要陷世界於黑暗

Everything Tamino thought he knew was wrong,

塔米諾原先的一切認知，全是錯的

filling him with doubt and confusion.

使他懷疑和困惑

So, a new quest begins for Tamino and Pamina.

於是，塔米諾和帕米娜 開始了新的使命

They must pass three trials of wisdom,

他們必須通過三項智慧的考驗

and only then can the day vanquish the night.

白天才能擊敗黑夜

Helped by the flute's magic power,

在魔笛魔力的幫助下

the two youths overcome these trials and the Queen's attempts to sabotage them.

兩位年輕人通過了考驗 和夜后的破壞他們的意圖

They're finally initiated into the temple having restored balance to the kingdom.

他們終於恢復了國度的平衡， 登堂入列聖殿

Many elements in this peculiar fairytale

這部奇特童話裡的許多元素

were inspired by Mozart's involvement in Freemasonry,

受到莫扎特參與共濟會的啟發

a network of fraternal organizations throughout Europe.

共濟會是遍及歐洲的兄弟會組織

Much of their history, symbolism, and ritual came from the Middle Ages.

大部分的歷史、象徵和儀式 來自中世紀

But the Freemasons of Mozart's time

但莫扎特時期的共濟會

were also influenced by 18th century European ideals -

也受到十八世紀歐洲的理想主義

rationalism, humanism, and skepticism towards traditional authorities,

理性主義、人文主義和挑戰傳統威權

like monarchy and the church.

如君權、教會等的懷疑主義的影響

The symbols of Freemasonry and these ideals of the Enlightenment

共濟會和啟蒙運動這些理想的象徵

are found throughout the opera.

在整齣歌劇裡，處處可見

If this sounds like a conspiracy theory, that's because it sort of was at the time,

如果聽起來像是個陰謀論， 是因為在當時它的確算是個陰謀論

but it's now taken quite seriously

如今已被認真地看待

and has been the subject of considerable scholarly publication.

並已成為相當規模的 學術研究出版主題

For example, some Mozart scholars believe the Queen of the Night

例如，若干研究莫扎特的學者

symbolizes Maria Theresa, the Empress of the Holy Roman Empire

認為夜后象徵神聖羅馬帝國的女皇 瑪麗亞 · 特蕾莎

who opposed Freemasonry and banned it in Austria.

她反對並且在奧地利禁止共濟會

While there continues to be debate as to the specific meaning,

儘管持續爭議著相關的具體含義

interpretation,

解讀

and location of these masonic references,

和共濟會參考處

scholars agree that they're there and are fully intentional.

學者們同意劇中有那些象徵， 並且全是被故意置入的

One of these symbols is the number three,

象徵符號之一是數字「三」

which represented balance and order to Freemasons.

代表共濟會的平衡和秩序

Now the number three is, of course, easy to find in any work of storytelling,

雖然現今在任何作品和故事中， 「三」這個數字處處可見

but it's particularly prominent in "The Magic Flute":

但它在「魔笛」中特別突出

three trials,

三項考驗

three ladies,

三位侍女

three spirits,

三個祭司

and three doors,

和三扇門

much of the music is written in E-flat major,

大部分的樂章用降 E 大調寫成

which has three flats in its key signature,

調號有三個降記號

and historically, masonic rituals began with three knocks.

歷史上，共濟會的儀式 以敲三下開始

The opera references them by opening with three majestic chords

歌劇的開場用了三個雄偉的和弦

complete with dramatic pauses.

伴以戲劇性的停頓來影射它們

Those chords, which reoccur throughout the opera,

那三個和弦，在整齣歌劇中重複出現

serve another purpose.

達成另一個目的

They capture the dramatic arc of the opera in miniature.

它們是歌劇的弧型戲劇張力的縮影

The first chord, E-flat major, is in its most natural root position,

第一個和弦，降 E 大調， 位於最自然的根底位置

simple and unadorned.

簡單而樸實

It echoes the child-like Prince Tamino,

反映出孩童般的塔米諾王子

who, in his naiveté, accepts everything the Queen and her ladies say

天真爛漫

without question.

毫無質疑地接納了夜后 和她的侍女們所說的一切

The second chord is C minor,

第二個和弦是 C 小調

a sour sonority that mirrors Tamino's sadness and doubt

反映著塔米諾酸楚的悲傷和懷疑

in the middle of the opera.

出現在歌劇的中段

That's when his world and notions of good and evil get turned on their heads.

當時在他腦裡，世界善惡的概念轉向了

And good and evil are just two of the opera's extreme opposites.

善與惡只是歌劇裡的一組極端對立

It features some of the highest and lowest notes in opera,

歌劇中還有一些最高和最低的音符

day and night,

日與夜

simple hummable melodies and complicated forward-looking music.

簡單低調的旋律和複雜的前瞻性音樂

The opera's central theme concerns balancing these extremes

歌劇的中心主題在於平衡這些極端

to achieve perfect harmony.

實現完美的和諧

To reflect this,

為了反映這一點

the final chord in the opening restores musical order.

開場的最後一個和弦 恢復了音樂的秩序

It returns to the triumphant E-flat major,

回到凱旋的降 E 大調

the same chord it started with but inverted,

和起始的和弦相同，只是轉了個次序

meaning Mozart moved the bottom note to the top.

意即，莫扎特把最低的音符移到最上面

Although it retains its original harmony, the chord sounds higher,

雖然仍保持原始的和諧， 但和弦的音更高了

pointing towards enlightenment.

指向「啟蒙」

That's similar to Tamino,

就像塔米諾

who in passing his trials restores balance to the kingdom

通過考驗而恢復王國的平衡

while growing stronger, wiser, and more complete.

同時變得更強壯、更聰明和更完整