26 July 2025 – ‘The esoteric symbolism of the Magic Flute’

About the Speaker

We are delighted to welcome back James Henshall, who is going to be talking on the subject of the Esoteric Symbolism of The Magic Flute.

Whilst it isn’t necessary to be familiar with Mozart’s opera, it will help to at least have an idea of the story. A short but clear and helpful synopsis is to be found here: The Magic Flute – Opera Philadelphia

For the more adventurous, who would like to watch the whole opera in advance, there are a number of interesting interpretations online, some in English and some in the original German with subtitles, but the following, from the Met Opera, conducted by James Levine and designed by David Hockney, is very good: Die Zauberflöte – Magic flute – A flauta mágica W. A. Mozart

Of Anglo-Welsh parentage, James read music and psychology at the University College of North Wales and, later undertook postgraduate and post-doctoral studies at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki. Professional musical interests include composition and piano, and he has developed several careers encompassing teaching and lecturing in most types of educational establishment ranging from public school to Workers Educational Association classes, as well as periods in journalism, insurance-sales, property management and domestic electrical installation.

His esoteric studies started around 1970 and has continued ever since, working within a number of more-or-less respectable traditions/societies. He has been a Freemason since 1992 and a Welsh druid (of the blue-wellington variety) since 1985. He is currently working on a study of the Welsh Magical Tradition.