The three boys (opera)
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The Three Boys are characters, also known as the Three Spirits, in Mozart's Opera Die Zauberflöte(The Magic Flute). These mysterious beings appear first as guides, apparently sent by the Queen of Night, to lead Tamino and Papageno in their quest to rescue Pamina from Sarastro. However, later in the opera, they appear to be in the service of Sarastro instead. They counsel Tamino to be brave, steadfast, and silent. They rescue Pamina when she attempts to commit suicide, and comfort her. Later they save Papageno, also from suicide, and give him good advice.
Ingmar Bergman, in his 1975 film version, eliminated the seeming contradiction. In his adaptation, the Three Boys introduce themselves instead of being introduced by the Three Ladies, servants of the Queen of the Night. Thus they were never, after all, in the service of the Queen.
The roles are written for boys of three vocal ranges: treble, mezzo-soprano, and alto. They are sometimes sung by women.
Their songs appear to be in the style of Christmas carols.
In the opera they have no names, but Guy Davenport, in some of his stories, named them Buckeye, Quark, and Tumble.