Mozart balls, Mozart statues, Mozart houses: Salzburg and Mozart belong together. But there are also traces of the great composer in the city away from the well-known tourist attractions. About the “Magic Flute House”. Lange is hidden at the Mozarteum Foundation. Now it is being restored and opened to the public.

As magnificent and timeless as Mozart’s “Magic Flute” is, the place where at least parts of this opera are said to have been composed is modest. In a gazebo, the so-called magic flute house. The owner of this arbor is the Mozarteum Foundation. “There are two anecdotes,” says Rainer Heneis, managing director of the foundation. The one message that Mozart was kept in this little garden shed to finish writing the “Magic Flute”. The second says that Mozart met his musicians and artists in the little house to practice the “Magic Flute” there. “Those are the two sources that we refer to,” explains Heneis.

Previously difficult to access for the public

Whether these anecdotes are true or not, the hut has long been revered as one of the birthplaces of opera. Originally it was in Vienna. In 1873 it came to Salzburg and last stood in the so-called bastion garden at the Mozarteum Foundation; difficult to access for the public. However, since the foundation is currently undergoing major renovations, a new location was also sought for this little house. But there is another reason for this: “It is of such great importance for the exhibition business that it was actually given away back there,” reports Rainer Heneis. However, a new location in the backyard of Mozart’s house entailed further conversion work there as well. They want to do all of that in one go and then present the Magic Flute House to visitors together with the opening in autumn.

Search for clues under a black tar facade

But the time has not come yet, the gazebo in the Großgmain open-air museum is currently being restored. And those who know the little house from before will be surprised at how it looks now. The black tar that was painted over it was removed: “Of course it did very well during the durability, but it was relatively unsightly and then we started to cover it with hot air and chisels,” explains restorer Thomas Mang. And so they discovered the remains of a green paint under the tar. Appropriate patterns were created with oil paints and a color tone was decided on in consultation with the responsible monument office. Now the magic flute house shines in a matt dark green.

The goal – the magic flute house in its original condition

The magic flute house during the restoration in the Großgmain open-air museum. | Image source: Nadine Kröpfl

The open-air museum in Großgmain, with its numerous farmhouses and many other buildings, is familiar with such orders. However, museum director Michael Weese says: “Of course, a house like this is something very special.” The whole hut was very simple and had been repaired again and again. She was not treated with particular care. The employees of the open-air museum are now getting back to work and trying to restore the house to its original condition as best as possible. From November, visitors to the home of the Mozart family in Salzburg will probably be able to see for themselves whether the restoration has been successful. The hut should be ready by then.

Broadcast: “Allegro” on September 27, 2022 at 6:05 a.m. on BR-KLASSIK