Der Vogelfänger bin ich ja - 101

Papageno's Baritone Aria from Mozart's The Magic Flute

Apr 14, 2007 Bryce Westervelt

The famous Der Vogelfänger bin ich ja,(Entrance Aria) Papageno's baritone aria from Mozart's The Magic Flute, translation, recommended recordings and vocal scores

An aria translation from Mozart's the Magic Flute

Aria: Der Vogelfänger bin ich ja

Opera: The Magic Flute, Die Zauberflöte

Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Libretto: Johann Emanuel Schikaneder, in German

Role: Papageno, a bird catcher

Voice Part: Lyric baritone

Synopsis: Act 1; After he claims that he was the one who rescued Tamino from the serpent, Papageno introduces himself to the Prince and also dreams of trapping girls as well as he catches birds.

English Translation of German Text

  • Der Vogelfänger bin ich ja, (The birdcatcher yes I am,)
  • Stets lustig heissa hopsasa! (Always happy, eh ha ha!)
  • Ich Vogelfänger bin bekannt (I am a well-known birdcatcher)
  • bei Alt und Jung im ganzen Land. (By old and young in all the land.)
  • Weiß mit dem Lokken umzugehn (White with the luring decoys.)
  • und mich aufs Pfeiffen zu verstehen! (To understand me on the pipes.)
  • Drum kann ich froh und lustig sein, (Therefore I can be glad and merry)
  • Denn alle Vögel sind ja mein. (Because all birds are mine!)

  • Der Vogelfänger bin ich ja, (The birdcatcher yes I am,)
  • Stets lustig heissa hopsasa! (Always happy, eh ha ha!)
  • Ich Vogelfänger bin bekannt ( I am a well-known birdcatcher)
  • Bei Alt und Jung im ganzen Land. (By old and young in all the land.)
  • Ein Netz für Mädchen möchte ich; (I would like a net for girls.)
  • Ich fing sie dutzendweis für mich! (I’d catch them for me.)
  • Dann sperrte ich sie bei mir ein (Then I locked them up with me)
  • Und alle Mädchen wären mein. ( And all the girls would be mine.)

  • Wenn alle Mädchen wären mein, ( If all the girls were mine,)
  • So tauschte ich brav Zukker ein. (Then I’d exchange good sugars)
  • Die welche mir am liebsten wär, (The one that was my dearest,)
  • der gäb ich gleich den Zukker her. (I would equally give sugar.)
  • Und küsste sie mich zärtlich dann, (And she kissed me tenderly then,)
  • Wär' sie mein Weib und ich ihr Mann. (She’d be my woman and I her man.)
  • Sie schlief an meiner Seite ein; (She’d fall asleep at my side;)
  • ich wiegte wie ein Kind sie ein. (I’d rock her to sleep like a child.)

Recommended Recordings:

  • Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Die Zauberflöte; Berlin Philharmonic, Karl Böhm, conductor, Deutsche Grammophon catalog: 449 749-2
  • Walter Berry; Die Zauberflöte; Philharmonia Chorus and Orchestra, Otto Klemperer, conductor; EMI Classics catalog: B00004VVZN
  • Gerald Finlay; Die Zauberflöte; English Baroque Orchestra, John Eliot Gardiner, conductor; Archiv: Catalog: ARCH 449 166-2

Scores:

Complete opera score:

  • Bärenreiter, Urtext, BA4553 90, Piano Reduction/Vocal Score
  • G. Schirmer; Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791). Vocal score for voices and piano accompaniment. Piano reduction. Text language German/English. 167 pages. (HL.50337620)

Aria available in:

  • Opera Arias for Baritone – G. Schirmer
  • Operatic Anthology (Baritone) - G. Schirmer

Other Magic Flute Aria translations:

Please visit the article archives for more interesting articles about opera. Feel free to contact the Opera feature writer, Bryce by email if you have any questions or have any recommendations as to material you would like covered.

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