Classical music doesn't have to be stuffy. Nothing could be more delightful (and less stuffy) than a Mozart-era zebra (powdered wig and all) playing the oboe, a mouse playing the violin, or a hippopotamus (in a feathered chapeau) playing the harp.

Mozart's Magic Flute is a lively introduction to Mozart's music and to music in general. It doesn't offer music instruction as such. It won't teach you how to read music or play a musical instrument, but it will help you develop your listening skills. You will learn to identify the four families of musical instruments (woodwind, brass, percussion, and string); recognize specific musical instruments, such as oboes, flutes, and violas; and identify musical patterns. The activities also help develop logic, critical thinking, visual and audio memory, and problem solving skills.

The central character is Wolfie, more commonly known as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. One night, Wolfie dreams that the Queen of the Night has stolen the sun. With the help of his friend Papageno, Wolfie travels to the magical kingdom where the Queen of the Night resides. Wolfie and Papageno will try to rescue the sun, as well as the missing Princess Pamina and Prince Tamino. Not surprisingly, your success will depend on developing and flexing your musical skills and knowledge.

Screen after screen of rich watercolor illustrations are like a children's storybook brought to life. The characters are thoroughly delightful and frequently surprising. The package includes six games, a collection of music trivia, a biography of and stories about Mozart, a special jukebox that plays a selection of Mozart's compositions, and an interactive encyclopedia of musical instruments.

The Interactive Classics Web site includes a sample game from the CD that you can play online. In this game, you listen to a few notes of music and then try to guess which instrument the sound belongs to. Finding out who (or what) is playing the instrument is even more fun than finding out whether your guess is correct.

Pros: In a crowded arena of cookie-cutter educational and entertainment programs, Mozart's Magic Flute is a stunning piece of creativity and originality
Cons: There's no option to save individual games for multiple players