The scene changes.  Pamina is seen asleep in a bower of roses, silvered over by the light of the moon.  Monostatos, deploring the fact that love should be denied him because of his color, though enjoyed by everything else in nature, attempts to steal a kiss.  A peal of thunder, and the Queen of Night rises from the ground.  She importunes Pamina to free herself and avenge her mother’s wrongs by killing Sarastro.  To this end she hands her a dagger and pours out the “hellish rage” which “boils” in her heart in a flood of scintillant staceati in the tonal regions where few soprano voices move:—­

[Musical excerpt]

Monostatos has overheard all.  He wrenches the dagger from Pamina, urges her again to accept his love, threatens her with death, and is about to put his threat into execution when Sarastro enters, dismisses the slave, and announces that his revenge upon the Queen of Night shall lie in promoting the happiness of the daughter by securing her union with Tamino.

The probationary trials of Tamino and Papageno are continued.  The two are led into a hall and admonished to remain silent till they hear a trumpet-call.  Papageno falls to chattering with an old woman, is terrified beyond measure by a thunder-clap, and recovers his composure only when the genii bring back the flute and bells and a table of food.  Tamino, however, remains steadfast, though Pamina herself comes to him and pleads for a word of love.  Papageno boasts of his own hardihood, but stops to eat, though the trumpet has called.  A lion appears; Tamino plays his flute, and the beast returns to his cage.  The youth is prepared for the final trial; he is to wander for a space through flood and flame, and Pamina is brought to say her tearful farewells.  The courage and will of the neophyte remain unshaken, though the maiden gives way to despair and seeks to take her own life.  The genii stay her hand, and assure her that Tamino shall be restored to her.  Two men in armor guard the gates of a subterranean cavern.  They sing of the rewards to be won by him who shall walk the path of danger; water, fire, air, and earth shall purify him; and if he withstand death’s terrors, heaven shall receive him and he be enlightened and fitted to consecrate himself wholly to the mysteries of Isis:—­

[Musical excerpt—­“Der, welcher wandert diese Strasse voll Beschwerde”]

A marvellous piece of music is consorted with this oracular utterance.  The words are set to an old German church melody—­“Ach Gott, vom Himmel sieh darein”—­around which the orchestral instruments weave a contrapuntal web of wondrous beauty.  At the gates Pamina joins her lover and accompanies him on his journey, which is happily achieved with the help of the flute.  Meanwhile Papageno is pardoned his loquacity, but told that he shall never feel the joy of the elect.  He thinks he can make shift with a pretty wife instead.  The old woman of the trial chamber appears and discloses