F R E E M A S O N R Y, T H E F O U N D I N G F A T H E R S , & The Magic Flute signers, most of the Revolution’s generals and, with exception to John Adams and John Quincy Adams, all of our Presidents through Andrew Jackson, were Masons.
Freemasonry is an ancient secret order devoted to the moral development of individuals who enter it. It is based on Jewish and Christian traditions and its symbols come from the building, destruction, and rebuilding of the Temple of Jerusalem. Historians can’t agree on the date or location of the start of modern Freemasonry. Some scholars think it grew out of medieval stonemason guilds in the 1200s. Others think the first important modern Freemasonry event was the formation of the first Grand Lodge in London, England in 1717. Freemasonry is not a religion but works hand-in-hand with religion and helps faithful people become better members of their churches. Yet, at various times in the past, Freemasons have been persecuted by formal religions. By the 18th century, especially in Catholic countries like Italy and Austria, Freemasonry and the church were on a collision course. Some ideas of Freemasonry were taken up by the political leaders. “Liberty – Equality – Fraternity," the rallying cry of the French Revolution, came from Freemasonry. Freemasonry played an important part in the founding of the United States of America. Most of the Declaration of Independence’s 14
Both Mozart and his librettist, the famous actor Emanuel Schikaneder, were Masons, and had Masonic rules in mind while writing The Magic Flute. One very important Masonic rule was that all men were equal when they gathered in the lodge no matter what they did for a living or their social status. Mozart and Schikaneder drew from other sources as well, like exotic fantasies that were popular at the time and were part of popular theatrical pieces for the people. Mozart hated the patronage system, under which musicians worked for a powerful nobleman. Mozart knew this firsthand as he worked under the aristocracy for most of his career. When the aristocratic rulers who hired him said “Jump,” Mozart could usually only ask “How high?” Prior to the early 19th century, musicians were craftsmen, or servants, much like a cook or a tailor. The Magic Flute was Mozart’s first opera to be written for a popular theatre and not under the patronage of the royalty or nobility. Sadly, it was his last opera, for he died a few months after its completion. It is fitting, therefore, that the themes in The Magic Flute reflect Mozart’s visions for a society in which all persons are created equal, and truth and goodness always triumph over deception and evil.