Queen of the night

[Lilas Pastia]

I'm not Dutch but I've always loved Deutekom's singing in the Queen's arias. She not so much warbles as yodels petulantly ! Vocally, this has to be the healthiest Queen around. Too bad she is summarily dispatched at the end of the opera. I'd have taken another aria from her any time!

The only soprano to vocally rival Deutekom is Moser. Of course it helps that she sounds the raging harridan like no other. I also love Popp, esp. for the way she squeezes out the sound at phrase ends. Hers is a noble, vulnerable, almost likable Queen. Who would resist such aristocratically phrased, caressing terms of endearment ?