Costume design for Papegeno, 1913. Papegeno, the bird catcher, a character in 'The Magic Flute' ('Die Zauberflote'), opera by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) with libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder (1751-1812) was first produced in Vienna in 1791. The plot has overtones of Freemasonry. Some say Queen of the Night is based on the Empress Maria Theresa (1717-1780). Design for a 1913 production at the s Opera.