The story of the prince Tamino and his zestful sidekick Papageno, who are sent on a mission to save a beautiful princess from the clutches of evil.

A production of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's opera "The Magic Flute" is presented, this film which blurs the lines of it as a stage production - not only with aspects of the theater stage shown, but also the occasional shot of the audience members watching it, and the performers going through their backstage routines during intermission - and a movie as the set moves out from the confines of the stage. The actual story concerns Tamino, a prince, falling in love with Pamina solely from seeing her photograph, Pamina's mother, the Queen of the Night, vowing that Pamina will be his if he rescues her from Sarastro, a demon who has captured her. On behalf of the Queen, three of her attendants, "ladies", who saved Tamino from a serpent, provide him with a magic flute to entice Pamina, and three child angels, who will act as his guides. The ladies also dispatch the pan-flute playing Papageno, a bird catcher who laments not being married himself, with Tamino, they providing him with magic bells as protection. Tamino will discover that not relayed to him by the Queen and her ladies is as it appears, he and Papageno who will have to go through a trial of enlightenment to reach their desired ends.—Huggo

This scintillating screen version of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's beloved opera showcases Ingmar Bergman's deep knowledge of music and gift for expressing it cinematically. Casting some of Europe's finest soloists - Josef Köstlinger, Ulrik Cold, Håkan Hagegård, and Birgit Nordin among them-the director lovingly recreated the baroque theater of Sweden's Drottningholm Palace to stage the story of the prince Tamino and his zestful sidekick Papageno, who are sent on a mission to save a beautiful princess from the clutches of evil. A celebration of love and forgiveness that exhibits a profound appreciation for the artifice and spectacle of the theater, The Magic Flute is among the most exquisite opera films ever made.

The Queen of the Night offers her daughter Pamina to Tamino, but he has to bring her back from her father and priest Sarastro. She gives a magic flute to Tamino and magic bells to the bird hunter Papageno, who follows Tamino and wants to find a wife. The duo travels in a journey of love and knowledge.—Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil