Few operas have had more written about them than Die Zauberfl te, yet few are as often exposed to misguided comment--or to idiosyncratic productions. This book sets out to provide a straightforward account of Mozart's most beloved opera, exposing the half-truths and legends that have proliferated since its first production in 1791. The sources for the opera are discussed, and there are chapters devoted to composition of the work, the authorship and...