Final answer:
The Magic Flute was composed during the Classical era, which was preceded by the Baroque era and followed by the Romantic era. The post-Romantic era came after, characterized by a focus on nationalism and the peak of Romantic techniques in music.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Magic Flute was composed during what is known as the Classical era, specifically at the tail end of the 18th century by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. During this time, music was characterized by clarity, balance, and transparency in structure. Mozart, along with Joseph Haydn, are two widely celebrated composers from this time. Prior to the Classical era was the Baroque era, marked by complex harmony and ornate melodic lines. Following the Classical era came the Romantic era, a time when composers such as Mahler and Strauss pushed the boundaries of Romantic musical techniques to their limits, and nationalism in music became more pronounced.
Notably, opera and ballet flourished during these periods, evolving from classical music and stylized dance forms to incorporate dramatic stories. During the post-Romantic era, the last decades of the 19th century and the first decades of the 20th century, there was a focus on national traditions and the expansion of Romanticism's expressive potential.