Brother Mozart Visits Washington, D.C

from The Voice of Freemasonry | Vol. 36 No. 4

by The Grand Lodge, FAAM of Washington, DC

Grand Lodge of California

BY MARK DREISONSTOK, PM, EDITOR

Kathryn Lewek (Queen of the Night), David Portillo (Tamino) in the Washington National Opera’s The Magic Flute

Courtesy of the Kennedy Center and the Washington National Opera. Photo by Scott Suchman.

Alexandria Shiner (1st Lady), Deborah Nansteel (2nd Lady), Meredith Arwady (3rd Lady), Michael Adams (Papageno), David Portillo (Tamino) in the Washington National Opera’s The Magic Flute

Sydney Mancasola (Pamina), David Portillo (Tamino) in the Washington National Opera’s The Magic Flute

Brother Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart has made a “November Surprise” visit to Washington, D.C., in the form of two productions replete with visual images and references to Freemasonry on key stages in our city!

The first of these is the Washington National Opera’s production of The Magic Flute at the Kennedy Center. The production took an unusual tack in that the scenes representing man’s benighted condition were represented by a Maurice Sendak staging reminiscent of his children’s book “Where the Wild Things Are,” with comically dark scenes of the forest. On the other hand, enlightenment was represented by symbols of Freemasonry. This superb production, directed by Christopher Mattaliano, presented hourglass, trowel, the sun and moon, as well as square and compasses as symbols of light. Acolytes and devotees at Sarastro’s temple even wore Masonic aprons. All of this, of course, is in homage to the Masonic content of this last opera of Bro. Mozart. The new initiates, Tamino and Papageno, made their way through trials on a long, rough, and rugged road, during which they were sworn to practice the Masonic virtue of silence.

Most Worshipful Bro. Charbel T. Fahed, our esteemed Grand Master, saw this production and commented: “The mystical scenes in the Magic Flute were quite a sublime experience compared to what our eyes are accustomed to see in the everyday world. The production evoked esoteric symbols to illustrate special messages to the Masonically-trained mind. Tools of Masonry were displayed on the stage in images to awaken the mind’s dormant faculties, reminding us we need to take up these implements symbolically in order to construct a better way of life in body and soul. The role of silence was strongly emphasized by Mozart as well as in this production to demonstrate what the spirit may offer to control the outer body and ensure its inner safety.” Appearing simultaneous with this excellent Magic Flute production was a staging of Peter Shaffer’s Amadeus at Washington’s Folger Theatre. Those who know this work from its Oscar-winning film version may be surprised that the play version offers something which the 1984 movie does not: detailed conversations and references to Freemasonry in Mozart’s life!

For those new to Amadeus: The Austrian Court Kapellmeister Antonio Salieri, a talented but not particularly gifted rival to Mozart, destroys the latter’s career out of envy of his genius. This work portrays Mozart as a naturally gifted prodigy composing great works effortlessly, but in terms of his personality exhibiting a silly and careless attitude towards the social norms around him. Salieri, on the other hand, is a hardworking, respected composer who fears being overshadowed by Mozart. All this strikes Salieri as unjust, so he takes matters into his own hands and meticulously plots against Mozart’s health and ultimately his life, resulting in Mozart’s death as a tragically young age.

Ian Merrill Peakes, who plays Antonio Salieri, is nothing short of outstanding in a challenging role as the character dominates the play, both in middle age and his advanced years. Samuel Adams is equally deft in his portrayal of Mozart, at the carefree and callow version of Mozart delineated by playwright Shaffer. Our interest here is not to challenge the historical veracity of the play, although the depiction of a murderous Salieri and a frivolous Mozart has often come under challenge. Instead, we will examine the Masonic content of this fascinating play.

Unlike the Washington National Opera’s Magic Flute, the Folger production makes no use of visible Masonic symbolism, though the written play includes stage directions that one scene is set in a Masonic Lodge with highly visible Masonic symbols. The choice not to present Masonic trappings on stage is likely owing to the austere yet elegant staging at the Folger, in which a set of large strings

suggesting harps, harpsichords, and violins is used in lieu of a realistic staging. The Masonic scenes survive in the dialogue, however, and we are surprised to learn that both Mozart and Salieri are invited to “join our Brotherhood of Masons.” Salieri correctly states the popularity of Masonry in Vienna of the Enlightenment era, noting that “in those days almost every man of influence Silence (l-r): Meredith Arwady (3rd Lady), Deborah Nansteel (2nd Lady), Courtesy of the Kennedy Center and the Washington National Opera. Photo by Scott Suchman. bins Landon posits the intriguing notion that, in composing his opera The Magic Flute, Mozart may have had as his purpose nothing less than the preservation of Free-Masonry in Austria by way of the popularizing of Masonic lore and the Lodge ideals of tolerance and humanism as anti-Masonic forces were gathering momentum at Court to ban the Fraternity. While using conjecture for in Vienna was a Mason…” The Alexandria Shiner (1st Lady), Michael Adams (Papageno) in the Washington dramatic effect, Amadeus is recplay correctly acknowledges the National Opera’s The Magic Flute ommended on its own excellent philanthropy of Freemasonry in that “the Masons [are] there to dramatic merits and as a production which brings to the fore help” Mozart through his financial difficulties – difficulties caused Mozart’s interest in Freemasonry, indeed affirming the Masonic by Salieri. The production then acknowledges the indebtedness of content of The Magic Flute. While Mozart’s “November Surprise” The Magic Flute to Freemasonry. visit in the Kennedy Center’s Magic Flute has passed, Masons might What is questionable is how the Masonic influence in The Magic content at the Folger Theatre through December 22, 2019.  Flute comes about, as the fictional Salieri here presented suggests, “put the Masons into it,” as a way to alienate the Masons and cause them to deny Mozart financial support. Mozart takes this advice and includes in his opera “Initiation ceremonies. Ceremonies with blindfolds. All rituals copied from the Masons…” Baron Gottfriend Van Swieten, Mozart’s Masonic sponsor into the Craft, is incensed: “You have put our rituals into a vulgar show!