1. "The birdies' catcher, that am I // Ever jolly, hopsasa." Which character sings this aria in Mozart's opera?
From Quiz Verirrt in der Uebersetzung
Answer:
Papageno
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) composed music for 23 theatrical works, including two that were a collaboration with other composers: "Die Schuldigkeit des Ersten Gebots" (1767, a sacred Singspiel with music by Mozart, Michael Haydn and Anton Adigasser) and "Der Stein der Weisen" (1790, a pasticcio with music by Mozart, Johann Henneberg, Franz Xaver Gerl, Benedikt Schack and Emmanuel Schikaneder).
Six of the theatrical works composed by Mozart alone had a libretto in German, one was with a Latin text, and the others were in Italian.
The lines I translated were the opening verses of "Der Vogelfänger bin ich ja", an aria from Mozart's last Singspiel, "Die Zauberflöte" ("The Magic Flute", 1791). In this merry melody Papageno introduces himself as a bird catcher, and wishes he had a net to catch girlies (instead of birdies). He would then choose the sweetest and marry her, and let her sleep at his side. In another ditty in the same Singspiel he sings his name: "Papa - papa - papa - Papageno".
Experts on Mozart operas will probably recognise the name of Belmonte as the protagonist in "Die Entführung aus dem Serail" ("The Abduction from the Seraglio", 1782). Belmonte is a Spanish nobleman visiting the palace of a Turkish noble, where he discovers that his fiancée Konstanze was sold to the pasha to serve in his harem.
Monsieur Vogelsang is a supporting character in the 1786 Singspiel "Der Impresario". The title character is Frank, and Vogelsang is one of the singers in Frank's opera company.
Sethos is the only named character (a high priest) in the rarely performed theatre play "Thamos, König in Ägypten" ("Thamos, King of Egypt", first performed in 1774).