ACT I
A mythical land between the sun and the moon. Prince Tamino flees a terrible serpent before three ladies in the service of the Queen of the Night save him. After they have left, the bird catcher Papageno appears. He explains that the Queen’s ladies give him food and drink in return for his birds. Then, he claims that it was he who killed the serpent. Hearing Papageno take credit for their work, the ladies return and padlock Papageno’s mouth shut for lying. Turning to Tamino, they give the prince a portrait of the Queen’s daughter, Pamina, who they say is being held prisoner by the evil Sarastro. Tamino falls in love with Pamina’s portrait at first sight. The Queen appears. She grieves over the loss of her daughter and asks Tamino to rescue Pamina. The ladies offer Tamino a magic flute to ensure his safety on the journey, and to Papageno, who will accompany him, they give magic silver bells. Finally, the ladies summon three spirits to guide the men on their journey.  

In Sarastro’s palace, the slave Monostatos pursues Pamina, but he is frightened away when Papageno arrives. The bird catcher tells Pamina that Tamino loves her and is on his way to save her.

Led to Sarastro’s temple, Tamino learns from a priest that it is the Queen who is evil, not Sarastro, and that Pamina is safe. He plays on his flute, charming the animals with the music and hoping that it will lead Pamina to him. When he hears the sound of Papageno’s pipes, he rushes off to follow it. Monostatos and his men chase Papageno and Pamina, but the sound of Papageno’s magic bells renders them helpless. Sarastro, entering in ceremony, promises Pamina eventual freedom and punishes Monostatos. Pamina and Tamino are enchanted with each other, but soon the priests separate them to maintain their purity. 

第一幕
在太陽與月亮之間的神話之地，王子塔米諾嘗試從恐怖大蛇的襲擊中逃脫。夜之女王的三位侍女出手解救他。他們離開後，捕鳥人巴巴吉諾出現。他說女王的侍女給了他食物和飲料，換取他捕到的鳥。然後，他聲稱是他殺了大蛇。聽到巴巴吉諾搶去功勞，侍女們回來把巴巴吉諾的嘴用鎖鎖上，處罰他說謊。接著她們轉向王子塔米諾，給了他一張畫相，畫中是夜之女王的女兒帕蜜娜，她們說帕蜜娜受到邪惡的薩拉斯妥所監禁。塔米諾對帕蜜娜的畫像一見鍾情。女王現身。她為失去女兒而悲傷，希望塔米諾幫她把帕蜜娜救出來。侍女們給了塔米諾一支魔笛，說能保護他一路平安，也給了要跟他一同前往的巴巴吉諾具有魔法的銀鈴。最後，侍女們召喚三個精靈，帶領他們踏上征途。

在薩拉斯妥的宮殿裡，隨從摩羅追趕著帕蜜娜，但看到巴巴吉諾出現就嚇跑了。巴巴吉諾告訴帕蜜娜說塔米諾愛著她，而且正在前來救她的路上。

在被帶領到薩拉斯妥宮殿的路上，塔米諾從祭司那裡得知原來夜之女王才是壞人，而帕蜜娜在薩拉斯妥的宮殿中安全無恙。他吹起魔笛，笛聲吸引周遭的動物靠近，他希望帕蜜娜也能循笛聲而來。當他聽到巴巴吉諾的笛聲，他趕忙追上前去。摩羅和手下追趕著巴巴吉諾和帕蜜娜，還好巴巴吉諾祭出魔鈴護身。此時薩拉斯妥出現，承諾帕蜜娜最終會還她自由，並且處罰摩羅。帕蜜娜和塔米諾醉心於彼此，但祭司們馬上將兩人隔開，以保持他們的純潔。


INTERMISSION
中場休息


Act II
Within the temple’s inner sanctum, Sarastro tells the priests that Tamino will undergo initiation rites.

Papageno and Tamino are sworn to silence. The three ladies appear and have no trouble derailing Papageno from his course of virtue, but Tamino remains firm.

In a garden courtyard, Monostatos tries to kiss the sleeping Pamina but hides when the Queen of the Night arrives. She gives her daughter a dagger and orders her to murder Sarastro. When Monostatos finds Pamina alone in tears, he forces himself upon her. Sarastro intervenes, consoling Pamina and explaining that he does not seek vengeance against her mother.

Inside the temple, Papageno is quick to break a new oath of fasting and jokes with a flirtatious old lady, who vanishes when he asks for her name. Tamino remains steadfast, even to the point of breaking Pamina’s heart—she cannot understand his silence.

The priests inform Tamino that he has only two more trials to complete his initiation. Papageno, who has broken his oath, is eliminated from the trials. Pleading for a wife, he eventually settles for the old lady. When he promises to be faithful to her, she turns into a young maiden named Papagena but immediately disappears.

In one of the temple’s gardens, Pamina despairs over Tamino’s apparent indifference and contemplates suicide. Before she can take her life, the three spirits intervene to save her.

As Tamino prepares for the final trials, Pamina runs in. Together, they face the ordeals of fire and water, protected by the magic flute.

On a hillside, Papageno dejectedly resolves to hang himself. The spirits arrive just in time and remind him that if he uses his magic bells, he will find true happiness. When he plays the bells, Papagena appears, and the two are united.

At the entrance to the Temple of the Sun, the Queen of the Night, her three ladies, and Monostatos prepare to attack but are defeated and banished. Sarastro joins Pamina and Tamino as the brotherhood praises the gods and the triumph of courage, virtue, and wisdom.

第二幕 
在神殿的聖所裡，薩拉斯妥告訴祭司說塔米諾願意接受儀式。巴巴吉諾和塔米諾發誓保持靜默。三位侍女出現，很輕易地就說動巴巴吉諾改變立場，但塔米諾堅定不移。

在花園庭院裡，摩羅想要親吻熟睡的帕蜜娜，但看到夜之女王出現就躲了起來。她給了女兒一把匕首，要她殺了薩拉斯妥。當摩羅發現帕蜜娜一個人在哭，想要趁機欺負她。薩拉斯妥介入，安慰帕蜜娜，而且說他不會找她的母親報復。

在神殿裡，巴巴吉諾很快就違背了絕食誓言，跟愛調情的老婦人開起玩笑來，不過，當他問老婦人的名字時，對方就消失了。帕蜜娜不知塔米諾為何靜默，但冒著會讓帕蜜娜心碎的危險，塔米諾仍是不動如山。

祭司們告訴塔米諾，說他只剩下兩個試驗就能完成考驗。已經打破誓言的巴巴吉諾被踢出了考驗。他請求要一位妻子，最後勉強接受了剛剛那位老婦。當他承諾要做她忠實的丈夫時，老婦變成了叫做芭芭吉娜的少女，但馬上就消失了。

在神殿的一個花園裡，帕蜜娜傷心於塔米諾的轉變，想要一死了之。此時三個精靈前來搭救，不讓她尋短。

塔米諾現在準備要面對最後一個試驗，帕蜜娜跑了過來。他們在魔笛的保護下，一起面對火和水的試煉。

灰心喪志的巴巴吉諾在山坡上想要上吊自盡。精靈們及時出現，提醒他如果他使用魔鈴，就能找到真正的幸福。當他搖起鈴來，芭芭吉娜現身，兩人開心歡聚。
在太陽神殿的入口，夜之女王還有她的三名侍女和摩羅準備出擊，但卻受到襲擊而消失。薩拉斯妥加入帕蜜娜和塔米諾，大家頌讚神明和勇氣、美德與智慧的勝利。