@hughdrover Although the assumption makes a lot of sense out of the plot, Sarastro is NEVER mentioned to be Pamina's father. I studied this opera in one of my University courses, and in one of my essays I suggested that Pamila was Sarastro's daughter. My professor wasn't impressed: she wrote on my essay "If this were the case, don't you think Mozart wasted the opportunity for a dramatic moment of revelation"?
In any case, she does a fantastic job and in the right octave although a little slower pace than Diana Damrau. It's interesting to hear it in English.
I think that the criticizing should be left to the professionals, as in actual professional divas, and their coaches (for those of you who are on here criticizing when you don't know what you are talking about, the word diva is used in reference to an opera singer)
I actually can't tell what language she's singing in. Yes, it was originally in German, but a top ten opera that's been around for, what, 200 years? has surely been translated into many languages, as are many others. In the US it's mostly sung in German and spoken in English. And yes, it is an opera. Singspiel is the technical term for this format, if I'm not mistaken. I've never heard or read that an opera can't have spoken words. Does that make Tosca not an opera? Hope not.
@briannadominique13 You say of yourself “I'm blonde, talkitive [sic], and Canadian. That's all you really need to know”. Perhaps you should consider adding ‘dogmatic, opinionated and illogical'. By your definition. Die Fledermaus, Carmen, Tales of Hoffmann etc. would not be operas because they have dialogue, whereas the 'through sung' musicals of Lloyd Webber would be operas.
Doesn't quite work like that. The Magic Flute has a German text so that the Austrian audience would understand it.
@hughdrover It is actually not technically opera. The genre that Die Zauberflote belongs to is called Singspiel, which in the German language means "singtalk". The genre is later expanded and developed, but because it isn't through sung (i.e. spoken dialogue rather than recitative), it isn't technically an opera. That doesn't diminish the work in any way, it just isn't what would be considered "opera" at this time in history. Also, the word "opera" just means "work", you can easily look it up.
@jewkranian11You are historically correct but as osborn89 says below, Singspiel is a dated term and these works, like Mozart''s Der Schauspieldirektor (the Impresario) are today classified as operas. The difference between opera, operetta and musical comedy can often be the width of a hair, and the category in the mind of the listener. The Magic Flute could arguably be any of the above three.
I agree that the term "Singspiel" is outdated but why wouldn't the magic flute be an operetta? Up to this moment that was always clear to me.
From the very moments when kindergarten was closed in summer and I was dragged to the rehearsals and usually fell asleep until the queen of the night woke me up and scared the hell out of me ;-)
@zingzangspillip1 what began as music has now become a pedantic quibble of etymology. You appear to be the wrong one by saying "a singspiel has always been classified as a type of opera" . Read what Wiki says, starting with "Some of the first Singspiele were miracle plays in Germany". I think we should now lay the nit-picking to rest. No further gain for anyone - least of all Mozart.
@hughdrover I admit that I was wrong to use the word 'always', but Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians describes a singspiel as "an opera, usually comic and in German with spoken dialogue." Grove's is a far more creditable resource than Wikipedia.
@hughdrover wiki is an unreliable source. a singspiel has always been classified as a "comic opera" which was the most popular type of opera in the classical period (1750-1825).
@jonnybabes84 From The Oxford Dictionary of Opera, a reliable enough source: “Singspiel - Song-play, a term for a German drama in which musical numbers are separated by dialogue... such works were written in the 17th century. The influence of French opéra-comique and English ballad opera (18th century) helped to develop Singspiel as a genre of comic opera with spoken dialogue."
@briannadominique13 The Magic Flute is a Singspiel which nowadays is considered a sub genre of Opera. I guess back in the day it wasn't considered an opera.
@briannadominique13 Go to wikipedia & search The Magic Flute. Just read the 1st paragraph. & it only sounds better in german when the queen is onstage & thats bcuz she's mean & speaking german sounds mean & ugly. The duet & chorus are almost too beautiful to be in german. But Wolfie made no mistakes, musically speaking
@briannadominique13 Build a bridge and get over it. What's wrong with hearing this in English. It's more easily understood. I just saw "The Magic Flute" last night and it was in English. It was AMAZING and so much more meaningful.
I think I have heard this aria a million times (ok I'm embellishing), and it takes a LOT of talent and bravery to even attempt this Aria. Hats off to anyone who has the chops to even attempt it.
Fabulous. I see this opera every time it's performed at Lincoln Center and just saw it again this week. All the queens I have seen so far perform this aria splendidly :-) This production had the most incredible sets - never seen anything like it.
Ya know I don't think the costume is ridiculous either. It is up to the director and costume designer. You might have someone wearing futuristic dress in some classic operas. The singing is what is important and YES, it sounds scarier in German.
In fairytales, pantomimes or fantasy operas queens are entitled to look like queens of any period they choose. What makes you think Pamena's mother isn't an Elizabethan? There were quite a few queens about then...as now.
I think there are more than three people who can sing this part. I know it takes many years (about seven years) to learn the song... but certainly more than three people in the world can sing it. :)
haha no, there are way more than three coloratura sopranos in the world and way more that can sing this aria, however it is a very demanding and difficult aria.
@Souleater835410 Ha, if so I'm one of them. I don't sing it well enough to play the part in a high-profile production so maybe only 3 people in the world sing it "brilliantly".
I'm making a point here so don't throw rocks at me yet. When I first heard this as a child I was amazed. Then I loved it for a while but as I get older I'm resenting it. The more I hear it the more unnatural and contrary to dramatic feeling it sounds to me. It's like watching somebody run an obstacle course. I would almost PREFER to hear it on a flute or oboe or clarinet . Anybody feel the same way or am I alone on this?
Queen of the Night on a flute or oboe or clarinet? I hope you are alone on this one, and I'd throw a few rocks if I could. The Queen of the Night is indeed dramatic because it is sung and sung well. Nelsonclick, if you are not into musical theatre, stick to the concert halls.
Zoroaster, Zarathushtra and Sarastro are all based on the same legendary magical fellow, the ancient Persian Zartosht, who may (or may not) have lived in c.1200 BC.
That relationship depends on the production. Ingmar Bergman, in his great film of this work makes it very clear that he considers Sarastro to be Pamina's father (as does this production), and it makes good sense. After all, the slight story is an inconsequential fairy tale made up by an actor. What is valuable is Mozart's music.
Actually in the original German libretto before this aria, The Queen of the Night clearly states that Pamina's father is dead. She states that he gave the Sign of the Sun to Sarastro just before he died.
That's because Die Zaberflote is not, technically, an opera. It's a Singspiel, which DID include spoken dialogue. They did not alter written recitative into dialogue for this specific production.
Bizet's "Carmen" (in it's original Opera Comique version) and Beethoven's "Fidelio" also contain spoken dialogue.
actually no, pop singers these days use the whistle register to go way up high above the staff, but true coloratura sopranos use the full voice, a thousand times harder to even begin to master :)
Dear NickyShay, age 21 from Ireland, before calling anyone an idiot it might be a good idea if you learned the difference between 'your' and 'you're'. The Queen of the Night knows better.
"crusade you've began"? For a start let's make that 'begun',shall we? As for "If people wish to speak poorly, let them"...well, there's nothing I can do if Jade Goodie chooses to parade her pig ignorance, but poor Wolfgang deserves better than Big Brother or a teeny-boppers celeb blog, and as I have control of this site, I can be as self-righteous as I see fit. Lol! But even Vicky Pollard could tell you that writing liek instead of like scarcely saves time...or even tiem. Yeah but no but yeah!
Good for you, Hugh Drover, for standing up for better standards of English on the internet. The chronic abuse of the language by adolescents is appalling, and it certainly has no place on a site devoted to serious music. Why anyone who is educated enough to be interested in Mozart wants to portray themselves as uneducated inarticulate boneheads is beyond me. Is it any wonder that educated Europeans and Asians so often consider American and British youth to be uncivilised brainless barbarians?
Don't underestimate talents of The Queen of the Night. She's a very magical and global lady who is able to speak and sing in many different languages, depending on where she is and who's in the audience. In South Africa she even sings it in Swahili, bless her.
well, not for me. When I go to the opera, I have read the libretto before. And usually there are subtitles over the stage which seems to be the best solution for me. A translation, whatever its quality is, spoilt the spirit of the music. Don't you think so?
In a word, no. Translated subtitles are terribly distracting, rarely in sync with the singers, and usually done by a language hack. We're not talking art songs in a concert hall, we're talking about comedy or drama in a theatre, which needs immediate audience comprehension and emotional response.
It's in keeping with Mozart's wishes for the opera when you think about it. He wrote it in German rather than Italian so that people in Austria and Germany could understand it. Translating it makes sense in that regard although I wouldn't be sure if it would hold true for most operas.
As you are French, why don't you ask L'opera in Paris why they perform Wagner's Die Walküre in French, calling it Les Valkyries? I've actually seen their production and assume the reason is that most of the audience understand French and do not understand German. Is that a point or not?
If you want to be anything serious, you should probably start by respecting your great native language and save silly illiterate teen-age slang like 'wanna' and 'prolly' and 'to' (meaning too - I'm only surprised you didn't write '2 late') for your schoolmates on Bebo, Myface or Spacebook. If you are 14, I am assuming you've been somewhat educated, but one would never know it from your entry.
hm, I dont have a bebo (I dont even know what a bebo is), facebook, or myspeace, I dont really have time for that considering I play 3 instruments, sing, and take martial arts. but that doesnt change the fact that your judging me from a what? 15 word post, just cuz, sorry, because I use slang when I type doesn't mean I'm uneducated or disrespect the arts. and what does that have to do with wanting to sing anyway?
Please nobody get mad at this post, I'm just defending myself...
Many postings here come from people all over the world for whom English is a second language, yet they make the effort to write in proper English. I am aware kids use incorrect spellings and grammar to each other but it's not appropriate on an international adult site. For a native speaker like yourself to mangle English, even in 15 words, sets a bad example to foreigners, and if you want to be taken seriously (singing or whatever) it doesn't help to appear poorly educated when you're not.
The only correction that needs to be made is that Sarastro is NOT Pamina's father. Pamina's father died and gave his powers to Sarastro instead of to his wife. This is a vaudeville for men. It perpetuates the idea that women are to follow the lead of men.
The Pamina/father issue has been dealt with in various postings. Ingmar Bergman, in his acclaimed filmed version of Magic Flute, makes it very clear he considers Sarastro to be Pamina's blood father. Not a bad precedent. It makes sense that the two warring ex-partners are fighting for possession of their only child. It's pushing it a bit, to say the least,to introduce feminist ishoos into an 18th century fairy-tale musical comedy.
I feel bad for the other girl. How difficult it must be to look as if you don't feel stupid just standing there while someone sings for like 300 hours..
mszlmb - The Queen, Pamina's mother, sings for 3 minutes 8 seconds to be exact, which is somewhat less than 300 hours. Three minutes is hardly a strain on a daughter listening to her mother - unless, of course, she's a teenager. If you follow the text you'll know that's the least of poor Pamina's problems.
Do you suffer from Attention-deficit disorder by any chance?
Surely you jest! This woman has amazing vocal chords and I would love to be able to sing like her. Surely you aren't comparing her with Lucianna Serra! Diana Damrau is my favorite in this role, followed very closely by Natalie Dessay, Luciana Serra, and Elena Mosuc. Those women are in an entirely different class!
Again, the aforementioned is simply subject to taste.
Beautiful voice, though her diction could use some work. I had to read the lyrics you provided to understand what she was saying, which takes away the point of the translation from German. Other than that I found it to be a nice performance of the piece.
In any language, diction is extremely difficult for a coloratura soprano, at the top of her range. The Queen of the Night is only on stage for 14 minutes in The Magic Flute. This production was entirely in English. Singers in lower registers are much easier to understand.
there was nothing wrong with her dictiont the mere fact she was able to pronounce anything is amazing. its impossible for anyone to do anything other than vocaliz when singing that hgh. and to technophiles shes a coloratura soprano and it really isnt that rare for them to sing into the whistle register, most of them can. i didnt know if you knew or not thats why i mentioned it.
what is with the spoken part at the beginning? is it me or is an opera supposed to be compleatly sung? this is more like really good musical theater. quite good btw.
If I understand your point, you approve of The Magic Flute performed in an African language, but disapprove if it's performed in a European language other than German... or is it only English you disapprove of? Would Urdu or Hindi be OK? It seems to me there's a curious bit of twisted logic and discriminatory prejudice going on there. I don't wish to be thought rude, dear CLIMATECHANGEKILLS, but is it possible that you just might have a few socio-political bees in your bonnet?
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaamazing
theQiwiMan 1 week ago
@hughdrover Although the assumption makes a lot of sense out of the plot, Sarastro is NEVER mentioned to be Pamina's father. I studied this opera in one of my University courses, and in one of my essays I suggested that Pamila was Sarastro's daughter. My professor wasn't impressed: she wrote on my essay "If this were the case, don't you think Mozart wasted the opportunity for a dramatic moment of revelation"?
probro9898 1 month ago
What's In A Name' It's Just Wonderful Entertainment'''' Enjoy
Unkidi 5 months ago
In any case, she does a fantastic job and in the right octave although a little slower pace than Diana Damrau. It's interesting to hear it in English.
AEmylia24 8 months ago
i think it's nice to hear opera in your native tongue occasionally.
sovietsam1917 9 months ago
in class we watched this movie anfd cant stop singing
shimeiwoo 1 year ago
I wish people expressed their anger like this in real life.
libitina13 1 year ago
Die Zauberflöte was billed as an opera from its first performance September 30, 1791. (The original playbill called it an opera.)
I don't know where the schoolmarms get their information, but they don't get it from the real world.
martinw1200 1 year ago
I think that the criticizing should be left to the professionals, as in actual professional divas, and their coaches (for those of you who are on here criticizing when you don't know what you are talking about, the word diva is used in reference to an opera singer)
exark666 1 year ago
@exark666 THANK YOU for that.... I hate Youtube commenters who have no idea what they're talking about...
chelsea3633 1 year ago
I actually can't tell what language she's singing in. Yes, it was originally in German, but a top ten opera that's been around for, what, 200 years? has surely been translated into many languages, as are many others. In the US it's mostly sung in German and spoken in English. And yes, it is an opera. Singspiel is the technical term for this format, if I'm not mistaken. I've never heard or read that an opera can't have spoken words. Does that make Tosca not an opera? Hope not.
LibbySingsMezzo 1 year ago
wow it's cool....
she sings great
i like it:)
hannah451219 1 year ago
This is not an opera. There is no spoken dialogue in an opera, and this opera was intended to be performed in German.. As it was written.
briannadominique13 1 year ago
@briannadominique13 You say of yourself “I'm blonde, talkitive [sic], and Canadian. That's all you really need to know”. Perhaps you should consider adding ‘dogmatic, opinionated and illogical'. By your definition. Die Fledermaus, Carmen, Tales of Hoffmann etc. would not be operas because they have dialogue, whereas the 'through sung' musicals of Lloyd Webber would be operas.
Doesn't quite work like that. The Magic Flute has a German text so that the Austrian audience would understand it.
hughdrover 1 year ago 26
@hughdrover It is actually not technically opera. The genre that Die Zauberflote belongs to is called Singspiel, which in the German language means "singtalk". The genre is later expanded and developed, but because it isn't through sung (i.e. spoken dialogue rather than recitative), it isn't technically an opera. That doesn't diminish the work in any way, it just isn't what would be considered "opera" at this time in history. Also, the word "opera" just means "work", you can easily look it up.
jewkranian11 1 year ago
@jewkranian11You are historically correct but as osborn89 says below, Singspiel is a dated term and these works, like Mozart''s Der Schauspieldirektor (the Impresario) are today classified as operas. The difference between opera, operetta and musical comedy can often be the width of a hair, and the category in the mind of the listener. The Magic Flute could arguably be any of the above three.
hughdrover 1 year ago 6
@hughdrover
I agree that the term "Singspiel" is outdated but why wouldn't the magic flute be an operetta? Up to this moment that was always clear to me.
From the very moments when kindergarten was closed in summer and I was dragged to the rehearsals and usually fell asleep until the queen of the night woke me up and scared the hell out of me ;-)
Foolanna 1 year ago
@hughdrover You're all wrong. A singspiel has always been classified as a type of opera.
zingzangspillip1 9 months ago
@zingzangspillip1 what began as music has now become a pedantic quibble of etymology. You appear to be the wrong one by saying "a singspiel has always been classified as a type of opera" . Read what Wiki says, starting with "Some of the first Singspiele were miracle plays in Germany". I think we should now lay the nit-picking to rest. No further gain for anyone - least of all Mozart.
hughdrover 9 months ago
@hughdrover I admit that I was wrong to use the word 'always', but Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians describes a singspiel as "an opera, usually comic and in German with spoken dialogue." Grove's is a far more creditable resource than Wikipedia.
zingzangspillip1 4 months ago
@hughdrover wiki is an unreliable source. a singspiel has always been classified as a "comic opera" which was the most popular type of opera in the classical period (1750-1825).
jonnybabes84 3 months ago
@jonnybabes84 From The Oxford Dictionary of Opera, a reliable enough source: “Singspiel - Song-play, a term for a German drama in which musical numbers are separated by dialogue... such works were written in the 17th century. The influence of French opéra-comique and English ballad opera (18th century) helped to develop Singspiel as a genre of comic opera with spoken dialogue."
hughdrover 3 months ago
@briannadominique13 The Magic Flute is a Singspiel which nowadays is considered a sub genre of Opera. I guess back in the day it wasn't considered an opera.
osbornd89 1 year ago
@briannadominique13 Go to wikipedia & search The Magic Flute. Just read the 1st paragraph. & it only sounds better in german when the queen is onstage & thats bcuz she's mean & speaking german sounds mean & ugly. The duet & chorus are almost too beautiful to be in german. But Wolfie made no mistakes, musically speaking
SDJOE1 1 year ago
@SDJOE1
German doesn't sounds ugly, but it sounds a bit more rough and harsh, than english.
MrKaratefan 1 year ago
@briannadominique13
I agree re. the language. Not a bad performance but needs to be the original libretto.
erindenize 1 year ago
@briannadominique13 bonsoir, quand il y a des dialoguies(en parler)ça c'est un opéra comique(en France) voir Carmen de Bizet
ininacsot 1 year ago
@briannadominique13 Build a bridge and get over it. What's wrong with hearing this in English. It's more easily understood. I just saw "The Magic Flute" last night and it was in English. It was AMAZING and so much more meaningful.
reiki2guy 11 months ago
@briannadominique13 It's an operetta.
flowersings 9 months ago
I think I have heard this aria a million times (ok I'm embellishing), and it takes a LOT of talent and bravery to even attempt this Aria. Hats off to anyone who has the chops to even attempt it.
liljohnnotbigjohn 1 year ago
I heard the german version as a kid, and thought it was just pretty, then I found out what the lyrics were lol
Stantzs 1 year ago
Fabulous. I see this opera every time it's performed at Lincoln Center and just saw it again this week. All the queens I have seen so far perform this aria splendidly :-) This production had the most incredible sets - never seen anything like it.
chardonslorrains 1 year ago
for a moment you think- theres no way shes going to hit that high note, and you hold your breath...
mkotisrael 1 year ago
WOW!
dillbn08 2 years ago
wow! great!
danutpopescu1 2 years ago
Ya know I don't think the costume is ridiculous either. It is up to the director and costume designer. You might have someone wearing futuristic dress in some classic operas. The singing is what is important and YES, it sounds scarier in German.
lunargoddess2002 2 years ago
in german sounds better *_*
what amazing voice!
lovelessfate 2 years ago 2
I have this aria on CD and always wondered what part of the opera it came from and now I know!!! Fantastic performance!!!! TenStarsplus !!!!!!
BigDuckKetterer 2 years ago
amen man ... much scarier in german ... almost creepy!
BlazingMoonNeko 2 years ago
In fairytales, pantomimes or fantasy operas queens are entitled to look like queens of any period they choose. What makes you think Pamena's mother isn't an Elizabethan? There were quite a few queens about then...as now.
hughdrover 2 years ago
A ha ha XD She is amazing to make her voice able to reach such notes.
Ralph95Mind 2 years ago
during those high parts it doesn't even sound like she is singing anymore it sounds like a recorder
sandspider2 2 years ago 4
on a good day the highest note i can hit is a D two notes lower than the highest note she is singing i have some work to do lol
catrina339 2 years ago
isnt there like only 3 people who could sing this song in the world due to the extremely high piched notes? im not sure but i think it is....
Souleater835410 2 years ago
I think you are wrong because my friend and my music teacher can sing this, no offense :)
valkonaamio96 2 years ago 2
There's singing, & then there's singing.
emobloom 2 years ago 6
so that makes three, including this one! Everyone can be happy! 8D
Crimsonfur 2 years ago
This lady is good but there better examples on YouTube. But it's true enough, not just anyone can hit that F note.
seismiccowboy 2 years ago 10
I think there are more than three people who can sing this part. I know it takes many years (about seven years) to learn the song... but certainly more than three people in the world can sing it. :)
Mongoladefrugt 2 years ago
haha no, there are way more than three coloratura sopranos in the world and way more that can sing this aria, however it is a very demanding and difficult aria.
Biffy2008 2 years ago
@Souleater835410 Ha, if so I'm one of them. I don't sing it well enough to play the part in a high-profile production so maybe only 3 people in the world sing it "brilliantly".
lurvelysooz 2 years ago
like it much better in german...but she´s good anyway
pim221 2 years ago 7
Pamina looks pretty hot!
tl1358 2 years ago
There are simply too many notes.
Swayzee68 2 years ago 3
Which notes?
tl1358 2 years ago
There are exactly as many notes as are required, no more, no less
PlayTheCold 2 years ago 12
this is what he said in the movie Amadeus
I3rianIsHere 2 years ago
I prefer it in german, though this is good
ShardsOfOblivion 2 years ago 3
chickenskin
Rienck 2 years ago
What on earth is 'chickenskin' supposed to mean or refer to? Very odd comment!
traubloch 2 years ago 2
I think it means that they got goosebumps from listening to it, although I don't think I ever heard it referred to as "chickenskin" haha
greatgiginthesky212 2 years ago 2
Probably a Dutch person, making a too literal translation of the Dutch word.. The equivalent in English is Goosebumps.Hope that makes more sense. :p
Rimpelmans 2 years ago
I'm making a point here so don't throw rocks at me yet. When I first heard this as a child I was amazed. Then I loved it for a while but as I get older I'm resenting it. The more I hear it the more unnatural and contrary to dramatic feeling it sounds to me. It's like watching somebody run an obstacle course. I would almost PREFER to hear it on a flute or oboe or clarinet . Anybody feel the same way or am I alone on this?
NelsonClick 2 years ago
Queen of the Night on a flute or oboe or clarinet? I hope you are alone on this one, and I'd throw a few rocks if I could. The Queen of the Night is indeed dramatic because it is sung and sung well. Nelsonclick, if you are not into musical theatre, stick to the concert halls.
traubloch 2 years ago
No, you're not.
I appreciate it because it's a hard work for this women, but it's not my "music style". I don't know how to explain it.
I prefer Tarja Turunen's lower version in the song "Passion and The Opera" accompanied by guitars, drums and keyboards xD
damigwarg 2 years ago
actuallly its an high F6 she hits
edwardangelcullen 2 years ago 3
absolutely brilliant!
MrCalebsamson 2 years ago 4
How many times does she hit that high F....4 times???
theoxley 2 years ago
Fantastic
feebsify 2 years ago
chimera :D
nanickore 2 years ago
damn! i couldve never reached that high note. good signer!!!
DymondeR4ever 2 years ago 2
we went to this opera for our fourth grade dield trip and i loved it, great music.
rb829 2 years ago 2
lovely music for my ears... great opera plot
BledlochTana 2 years ago 3
It's pretty cool there is a version in english, that way I can understand it. However I do prefer the German version :)
xKaoKaox 2 years ago 17
omg today we acted this out and i was pamina lol.
conversegirl6609 2 years ago 3
i love how hughdrover owns everyone who tries to say he's/she's wrong.
pshjen 2 years ago 8
Hughdrover is infallible, but I don't know who he owns?
hughdrover 2 years ago
aint she a lovely mom
expocule 2 years ago 9
what amazing vocal range its hard as anything to sing this. I have been practicing this for 2 years
crawfordfanatic 2 years ago
It's not Sarastro...Its Zoroastro. Haha
lchatzipetrakos 2 years ago
Zoroaster, Zarathushtra and Sarastro are all based on the same legendary magical fellow, the ancient Persian Zartosht, who may (or may not) have lived in c.1200 BC.
hughdrover 2 years ago 3
The description is wrong; Sarastro is not Pamina's father...
salladite36 3 years ago
That relationship depends on the production. Ingmar Bergman, in his great film of this work makes it very clear that he considers Sarastro to be Pamina's father (as does this production), and it makes good sense. After all, the slight story is an inconsequential fairy tale made up by an actor. What is valuable is Mozart's music.
hughdrover 3 years ago
In the australian one i saw yesterday, sorastro was pamina's father's friend. not her actual dad.
aalg4c 2 years ago
Actually in the original German libretto before this aria, The Queen of the Night clearly states that Pamina's father is dead. She states that he gave the Sign of the Sun to Sarastro just before he died.
mikmil90 2 years ago
I'm definitely preferring the German version >.>; It just sounds a lot more hateful 'cause of all the well.. German xD
InsomniaticMeat 3 years ago 37
it does. this is too sweet.
redrumax 3 years ago 5
I can't see much sweet in a mother telling her daughter:
"Sarastro shall be slaughtered
Kill! Kill! Kill!
Kill him quickly...
Do as you've been told!
Does this really sound sweet to you, redrumax?
traubloch 3 years ago 2
Well, as a sound and NOT meaning, yes. It does sound more hatefull in German.
PhoenixFlowerSophia 3 years ago 5
I didn't know that there is an English version of this opera.Great!
Slavko107 3 years ago 4
Nice singing, though I prefer the German version.
KaizokuNoAnzu 3 years ago 7
but some have appalling spelling =)
e1462 3 years ago
lol, well played my friend.
punkcore69 3 years ago
Great! I love the English version! :D
FrozenMermaid666 3 years ago
Nice! i like this but not more than Yahpp's remix - Chimera
GhostFramez 3 years ago
does anyone know where to get the sheet music for this song?
gatorad09 3 years ago
It doesn´t sound bad, but "Die ZauberfLóte" is always beter in german.
"Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen...".
agentekgb 3 years ago
bravo! * * * * *
nbdcjj 3 years ago
"I'm just not 100% sue about the spoken recit."
That's because Die Zaberflote is not, technically, an opera. It's a Singspiel, which DID include spoken dialogue. They did not alter written recitative into dialogue for this specific production.
Bizet's "Carmen" (in it's original Opera Comique version) and Beethoven's "Fidelio" also contain spoken dialogue.
rinceceol 3 years ago
im starting this song soon!!! =]
musicalfreakcoe 3 years ago
Very nice... I'm amazed...and the girl on bed is quite hot... good vid ;)
dkodao 3 years ago 3
AMAZING holy crap how did she get that high!!!???
jagearin 3 years ago 4
It's the whistle register of the female voice. the highest of the voice.
Abyssion888 3 years ago
actually no, pop singers these days use the whistle register to go way up high above the staff, but true coloratura sopranos use the full voice, a thousand times harder to even begin to master :)
Drelnis 3 years ago 7
im going to see the opera with my school
solorox18932 3 years ago
Dear NickyShay, age 21 from Ireland, before calling anyone an idiot it might be a good idea if you learned the difference between 'your' and 'you're'. The Queen of the Night knows better.
hughdrover 3 years ago
Steady on! You're actually scaring me, with this self righteous "crusade" you've began.
If people wish to speak poorly, let them, and just enjoy watching them fail to get decent jobs. Or whatev, coz, liek, yano, Becuz...lol
See, I can do slang as well - I often do, it saves time. Yet, I can just as easily retain my correct grammatical skills.
CheesePhoenix 3 years ago
"crusade you've began"? For a start let's make that 'begun',shall we? As for "If people wish to speak poorly, let them"...well, there's nothing I can do if Jade Goodie chooses to parade her pig ignorance, but poor Wolfgang deserves better than Big Brother or a teeny-boppers celeb blog, and as I have control of this site, I can be as self-righteous as I see fit. Lol! But even Vicky Pollard could tell you that writing liek instead of like scarcely saves time...or even tiem. Yeah but no but yeah!
hughdrover 3 years ago
Good for you, Hugh Drover, for standing up for better standards of English on the internet. The chronic abuse of the language by adolescents is appalling, and it certainly has no place on a site devoted to serious music. Why anyone who is educated enough to be interested in Mozart wants to portray themselves as uneducated inarticulate boneheads is beyond me. Is it any wonder that educated Europeans and Asians so often consider American and British youth to be uncivilised brainless barbarians?
traubloch 3 years ago
...But the Queen of the Night speaks German. ;)
ToddleToTheZoo 3 years ago 2
Don't underestimate talents of The Queen of the Night. She's a very magical and global lady who is able to speak and sing in many different languages, depending on where she is and who's in the audience. In South Africa she even sings it in Swahili, bless her.
hughdrover 3 years ago
well, not for me. When I go to the opera, I have read the libretto before. And usually there are subtitles over the stage which seems to be the best solution for me. A translation, whatever its quality is, spoilt the spirit of the music. Don't you think so?
etreunique 3 years ago 2
In a word, no. Translated subtitles are terribly distracting, rarely in sync with the singers, and usually done by a language hack. We're not talking art songs in a concert hall, we're talking about comedy or drama in a theatre, which needs immediate audience comprehension and emotional response.
hughdrover 3 years ago
Well that is your opinion and I respect it, failing to share. ;)
etreunique 3 years ago
It's in keeping with Mozart's wishes for the opera when you think about it. He wrote it in German rather than Italian so that people in Austria and Germany could understand it. Translating it makes sense in that regard although I wouldn't be sure if it would hold true for most operas.
thewisefool 3 years ago
I can't really see the point of making a translation...
etreunique 3 years ago
As you are French, why don't you ask L'opera in Paris why they perform Wagner's Die Walküre in French, calling it Les Valkyries? I've actually seen their production and assume the reason is that most of the audience understand French and do not understand German. Is that a point or not?
hughdrover 3 years ago
Oh gosh, this version either has scratchy sound or the singer can't hit the high notes! But in any case, it's a great performance.
Skratovarius 3 years ago
I like it
a3b3a3b3 3 years ago
i love it ! :D
FrkHell 3 years ago
this is one of my favorite arias
DaughterxOfxBlaze 3 years ago
LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT!
doroteaizjaske 3 years ago
no, that's cool not odd
VioletKrystal 3 years ago
i am 14 years old an like opera. isent that odd?
rabies79 3 years ago
im 14 too, and i wanna be an opera singer, but its prolly to late to start
DaughterxOfxBlaze 3 years ago
If you want to be anything serious, you should probably start by respecting your great native language and save silly illiterate teen-age slang like 'wanna' and 'prolly' and 'to' (meaning too - I'm only surprised you didn't write '2 late') for your schoolmates on Bebo, Myface or Spacebook. If you are 14, I am assuming you've been somewhat educated, but one would never know it from your entry.
hughdrover 3 years ago
hm, I dont have a bebo (I dont even know what a bebo is), facebook, or myspeace, I dont really have time for that considering I play 3 instruments, sing, and take martial arts. but that doesnt change the fact that your judging me from a what? 15 word post, just cuz, sorry, because I use slang when I type doesn't mean I'm uneducated or disrespect the arts. and what does that have to do with wanting to sing anyway?
Please nobody get mad at this post, I'm just defending myself...
DaughterxOfxBlaze 3 years ago
Many postings here come from people all over the world for whom English is a second language, yet they make the effort to write in proper English. I am aware kids use incorrect spellings and grammar to each other but it's not appropriate on an international adult site. For a native speaker like yourself to mangle English, even in 15 words, sets a bad example to foreigners, and if you want to be taken seriously (singing or whatever) it doesn't help to appear poorly educated when you're not.
hughdrover 3 years ago
I watched this when I was really small, and I can do opera.
So to this day I remembered the part from 1:03 to about 1:17 where shes not singing.
I never remembered where I got it from, I just did it.
Haha. :]
Alanna14 3 years ago 2
how beautiful! I actually got teary eyed watching this. I never knew the translation into english.
NadrianATRS 3 years ago 3
The only correction that needs to be made is that Sarastro is NOT Pamina's father. Pamina's father died and gave his powers to Sarastro instead of to his wife. This is a vaudeville for men. It perpetuates the idea that women are to follow the lead of men.
oneworldguy 3 years ago
The Pamina/father issue has been dealt with in various postings. Ingmar Bergman, in his acclaimed filmed version of Magic Flute, makes it very clear he considers Sarastro to be Pamina's blood father. Not a bad precedent. It makes sense that the two warring ex-partners are fighting for possession of their only child. It's pushing it a bit, to say the least,to introduce feminist ishoos into an 18th century fairy-tale musical comedy.
hughdrover 3 years ago
she has effin psychotic eyebrows...but an amazing voice, with an excellent timbre and tone.
tenor220 3 years ago 7
great voice, but i prefer it in german!
rrjjbbggpp 3 years ago 9
This really is an "awesome warning"...
This woman has a really great voice!!!!!
NwColombia 3 years ago 6
This is the Official Euro 2008 ITV theme tune
aaronic21 3 years ago 3
English. Lol.
mrtyles 3 years ago
Celia's song.
alvarogonzidemolina 3 years ago
Damn. That's pretty friggin' amazing. I don't even really like opera music.
phoenixicarus 3 years ago 8
it is better in Deutsch!
but is beautifull like this too...
calliope92 3 years ago 6
(German is the original language)
HtownHunk 3 years ago 9
Agree.
EuclidianProposition 3 years ago
This is great. An Elizabethan Queen of the Night is novel but just right, and Pamina is gorgeous.
traubloch 3 years ago
That's rather odd, climate...considering that ENGLISH is a GERMANIC language...it should be considered a more acceptable language for translation.
ghostofxmaspast 3 years ago
I feel bad for the other girl. How difficult it must be to look as if you don't feel stupid just standing there while someone sings for like 300 hours..
mszlmb 3 years ago 2
mszlmb - The Queen, Pamina's mother, sings for 3 minutes 8 seconds to be exact, which is somewhat less than 300 hours. Three minutes is hardly a strain on a daughter listening to her mother - unless, of course, she's a teenager. If you follow the text you'll know that's the least of poor Pamina's problems.
Do you suffer from Attention-deficit disorder by any chance?
hughdrover 3 years ago
Wow, harsh. I didn't see that as a hateful comment, so why the sassy rebuttal?
Silverlegolas1 3 years ago
Silverlegolas1 - do you perchance
suffer from sense-of-humour deficit? It's a jocular resposte.
hughdrover 3 years ago
No, unnecessarily rude. Simmer down.
eawonder 3 years ago
What makes you American boys so heavy? All those years of George Bush and political correctness, perhaps? For heaven's sake,lighten up!
hughdrover 3 years ago
You're making fat jokes? PLEASE tell me you're Italian or German?!?!?!?!?
cBaOc13 3 years ago
średnie...
furiosoTenore 3 years ago
nice sound
typical opera acting
kind of boring
good job on the vocals though
VivaLaMerman 3 years ago
Nice, anyway better than the 'great' Luciana Serra.
NickFlyer223 3 years ago
Surely you jest! This woman has amazing vocal chords and I would love to be able to sing like her. Surely you aren't comparing her with Lucianna Serra! Diana Damrau is my favorite in this role, followed very closely by Natalie Dessay, Luciana Serra, and Elena Mosuc. Those women are in an entirely different class!
Again, the aforementioned is simply subject to taste.
oneworldguy 3 years ago
Beautiful voice, though her diction could use some work. I had to read the lyrics you provided to understand what she was saying, which takes away the point of the translation from German. Other than that I found it to be a nice performance of the piece.
xscarletkittie 3 years ago
In any language, diction is extremely difficult for a coloratura soprano, at the top of her range. The Queen of the Night is only on stage for 14 minutes in The Magic Flute. This production was entirely in English. Singers in lower registers are much easier to understand.
hughdrover 3 years ago
there was nothing wrong with her dictiont the mere fact she was able to pronounce anything is amazing. its impossible for anyone to do anything other than vocaliz when singing that hgh. and to technophiles shes a coloratura soprano and it really isnt that rare for them to sing into the whistle register, most of them can. i didnt know if you knew or not thats why i mentioned it.
tenor220 3 years ago 2
what is with the spoken part at the beginning? is it me or is an opera supposed to be compleatly sung? this is more like really good musical theater. quite good btw.
capicutie 3 years ago
kill!...kill!...kill! LOL that was a good part
06301113 3 years ago 3
She is a special type of Soprano as she can sing abnormally high notes.
technophiles 3 years ago
My school did this opera, and I was Queen of the Night, it was difficult to sing this, but they said I did it very well. Beautiful song, by the way.
PianoMaya 4 years ago
i love this sonud
wonderful!!!
esta musica es muy buena solo hay que dedicarse a escucharla y encantarse con la voz indiscutible y los instrumentos. :D
excitacion 4 years ago
Kind of cool how high she can go with those notes... Awesome!
solardevaldeosera 4 years ago 4
my school did this as an oprea and this giorl played the queen of the night and i got to do it when she was of
nicolachildnicole 4 years ago
When the giorl was of what?
hughdrover 4 years ago
amazing!! gave me chills.
movebich 4 years ago 2
me too i still have goosebumps
hemdrons 4 years ago 2
If I understand your point, you approve of The Magic Flute performed in an African language, but disapprove if it's performed in a European language other than German... or is it only English you disapprove of? Would Urdu or Hindi be OK? It seems to me there's a curious bit of twisted logic and discriminatory prejudice going on there. I don't wish to be thought rude, dear CLIMATECHANGEKILLS, but is it possible that you just might have a few socio-political bees in your bonnet?
hughdrover 4 years ago
Wonderful *-*
MyuNekoi 4 years ago