Lily Pons sings Queen of Night

[anzolettilino]

really great.

[AZ09009ZZAA]

ponsl1 it's really your great great grandmother

[AZ09009ZZAA]

c'est ma petite petite petite petite petite cousine lily pons

[Eliketi]

I don't get it, where was she rushing to when singing? I prefer Lucia Popp's version.

[QueenOfTheNight2313]

what language is this?

[gyorgy11]

@QueenOfTheNight2313 It's in French, Pons' native tongue

[QueenOfTheNight2313]

@gyorgy11 that's dumb... should be german

[gyorgy11]

@QueenOfTheNight2313 She was born in France and awarded both the Croix de Lorraine and Legion d'Honneur. How about learning a fact or two?

[salstiha]

la regina della notte è Luciana Serra.

[ponsl1]

: D my great-great grandmother



[fanofbelcanto]

Can you please change the photo, this is Joan Sutherland and not Lily Pons !!!!!

[unpodimusica1]

This was obviously recorded in a great hurry. Neither singer nor orchestra seem to have taken this recording seriously.

[happywealthyme]

I wonder who sang this in Mozarts time....

[pedrofribeiro]

@happywealthyme Josepha Hofer, Mozart's sister in law.

[anzolettilino]

@happywealthyme Mozart s'sister-in-law , Josepha Weber was the frist queen of the night and sang this in mozarts time.

[Marcelosopro]

Aonde estão essas divinas vozes que não existem mais???????/

[mkworkman]

2:45 audio: Queen of Night aria by Mozart sung by Lily Pons (April 12, 1898 – February 13, 1976).

[abracadabranque]

Ridicule!Une débutante parfois sur certains aigus "kiki"!Erreur de casting!

[skitzo429]

that picture is joan sutherland

[jumppuppyjump]

Oh. i wondered why I couldn't hear any words. I'm just used to the German. OMG!!!! Light speed!!!

[jumppuppyjump]

Oh. i wondered why I couldn't hear any words. I'm just used to the German.

[neoflyboy]

Yes, there is something wrong here. I like her more in The mad scene :P

[Ynotbe1st]

Thanks for putting this up; I didn't know she had ever sung this aria, as it's not one of the roles she did for the Metropolitan. It does sound like she hadn't really practised it, not even close to the standard of her other works.

I think Lily went through the tough sections quickly as a showy thing, like instrumentalists of the time playing solos, demonstrating how she could fly through such passages. After all, this was a woman who was reported to effortlessly toss out high A in warmups.

[schattensand]

Afaik she sang this one on demand only once in a concert 1936, just to show she could do it.

So not that big thing, a little careless maybe.

Mado Robins thing was it to go higher than anybody else, Lily Pons had to have the crown of the fastest of the lot. So it cant be as perfect as an Edda Moser, who was the Night Queen and whos version was shot in space.

[francynthia]

I prefer Natalie Dessay's version.

[rgasp12]

.....she goes a little fast on the higher parts?

[chocoholicchic92]

I think she did a decent job but it's not my favourite. Not sure if it makes the top 10. My favourite is Diana Damrau's version. I don't think Lily's voice is really suited to the role as well. It's too sweet for it I reckon.

[dacor31]

@chocoholicchic92 How I agree with you about Diana Damrau's version in "The Queen of Night"

[woufwoufful]

it sound like a french version !!! but i'm french and i can't understand a word she sing ... :)

[undeuxtroisquatreish]

I'm fluent in French and like you, can't understand a word. Having coached Der Holle Rache in only German and English, I don't know the French libretto but would bet what she did is mostly due to "vowel migration." Opening one's mouth the higher one goes note-wise for resonance. It's definitely not conducive to the French language and definitely not fitted for her voice. Pons was a bel canto coloratura, not a dramatic coloratura, but given the egos of yesterday and today, anything goes LOL.

[meltzerboy]

@undeuxtroisquatreish Pons never sang anything in German due to her lack of sympathy (to put it nicely) for Germany. So she sang Mozart arias in her native tongue.

[undeuxtroisquatreish]

@meltzerboy - Thank you for the information. If I would have paid more attention in vocal lit. class and not so much time in a practice room I might have known this. Thank you again.

[undeuxtroisquatreish]

@meltzerboy - Hi, my friend. Thinking about what you said, wouldn't it have made more sense for Pons to focus on all the French and Italian rep. she had at her disposal? I mean, with The Daughter of the Regiment, Thais, Louise, La Traviata, Donizetti..It was a different age so I couldn't possibly empathize with her 1936 feelings, especially with Nazi Germany being in your face, but thank goodness time heals. Take good care.

[blancoec]

Il est d'une beauté incomparable! Seul un ange pouvait interpréter ce présent du Mozart. Quand il a écrit doit avoir pensé que Dieu, représenté par Lily Pons, faire son travail intemporel.

[undeuxtroisquatreish]

@blancoec - S'il vous plaît, mon ami, écoutez Diana Damrau ou Edda Moser. Leurs voix dramatique.

[hathi444]

What language is she singing in? It sure isn't the original German.

[undeuxtroisquatreish]

@hathi444 - Unfortunately it's in French.

[dacor31]

@hathi444 Lili Pons is singing in french ! but I hardly understand the lyrics !

and french is my native language !

[hathi444]

@dacor31 J'parle pas Francais aussi, mais j'ne comprends pas cette chanson!

[flowersings]

I think she is off pitch. That is certainly the first time I've ever heard her off on something. I hope it's just the recording.

[moo7chi7ld]

@flowersings I dont think she liks this aria, and she showed it by swinging slightly flat. This is a song of hate and revenge, not like her at all.

[undeuxtroisquatreish]

@flowersings - No, you're so right. She's flat a lot. Having perfect pitch can be a blessing and a curse. The orchestra is also not on pitch through a few passages which is unfortunate. Lily Pons was one of the greatest, as was Sills in my opinion. However, the same thing happened to Sills after she demanded she sing the three queens - Maria Stuarda, Anna Bolena and Queen Elizabeth I in Roberto Devereaux. She blew herself out but at least had the grace to finally sing her swan song.

[IlgruppoDiDocci]

LILY PONS

[meltzerboy]

The recording is by Lily Pons, but the picture is of Joan Sutherland.

[bonnies1234567]

@meltzerboy

I thought so . . . go figure?!!

[undeuxtroisquatreish]

@meltzerboy - Thanks for the heads up. I didn't notice Sutherland.

[MrFalconford]

@meltzerboy your right why would anyone do that?

[TraVoiBelle]

Perfect tempo but who is she?

[bonnies1234567]

@TraVoiBelle

The artist is Lily Pons, one of the great coloratura sopranos of our time. She was also a brilliant pianist That may help account for her true technique.

[TraVoiBelle]

Yes, the title shows us but why Sutherland is on the picture?

Anyway, she is splendid :)

[dacor31]

@TraVoiBelle Excuse me, I know nothing about music writing but the lady seems to sing very quickly or is it the conductor's behaviour in front of his orchestra ?

[TraVoiBelle]

I can't say but the conductor for the singers and his orchestra is like the director for the actors.

And yet the opera is an art too and everyone can interprets it with his own manner, according to his taste and the idea which he wants to suggest.

[512gontran]

@dacor31 The conductor is Bruno Walter.

[schattensand]

@dacor31 Quick, vivid, fast coloraturas were her trademark.

Listen to her Lakme. If dexterity is your weapon its not wise to use the doubblehanded sword.

[flowersings]

@schattensand Are you a fan of her Bell song? I am. I think it's lovely!

[schattensand]

@flowersings No I am not the fan of anybody. So I like a lot and a lot very different music.

My favorit the last years is Om Kolthoum and I guess, that is something you can not relate anyhow to.

[undeuxtroisquatreish]

@schattensand - That's a rather pissy remark to flowersings. You could have been somewhat more charitable. I, too, am a fan of different style periods and voice types from Freddy von Stade (a dear friend), Eileen Farrell (also a dear friend before she died), so you may want to re-read the merde you send out before sending it.

[undeuxtroisquatreish]

@flowersings - Since we're now friends, I'd love to pick your brain. Plz tell me about your rep., your singing experience, etc. I'm always curious and trust me, I'm 53 years old, not a freak and have been coaching/accompanying virtually all my life. I mentioned Freddie (I spelled it wrong in another post) von Stade...I heard her sing for the first time Rusalka's Song to the Moon. Do you know the piece? I had always coached it with Spintos and suddenly here's Freddie on Y.T. singing it. WOW!

[undeuxtroisquatreish]

@schattensand - So true, but everything is relative. I don't recall without the score in front of me Mozart asking The Queen to rush through the middle d minor section. I also don't recall Mozart asking the coloratura to begin the section before the high F's in a faster tempo. If it were simply a matter of nuance (rubato) I could understand. It's not, however. If she would have taken EVERYTHING at break-neck speed I don't think we'd be having this conversation. I admire your "sword" comment!

[undeuxtroisquatreish]

@dacor31 - No you're right. Her manner is affected. It's the conductor's job to follow the singer so NOT HIS FAULT. However, I still adore Lily Pons despite her lack of steadiness. Thanks for noticing and speaking up 11 months ago.

[SENAFOREVER]

Who is it? Certainly not Dame Joan, Robin nor Mesplé. Please give us a name. Thanks.