Clint van der Linde, boy soprano; Mozart: Queen of the Night

Clint van der Linde was born in 1978 in South Africa. At age 9, he heard the Drakensberg Boys Choir, quickly asked to try out for membership, and was accepted. In 1993, he became a pupil at the Pro Arte School in Pretoria. Mozarts Der Holle Rach from his popular opera The Magic Flute obviously was written for female soprano; however, occasionally an exceptionally gifted boy (including Radu Marian) will be taught the very demanding aria. What makes this recording unusual is that Clint was nearly 16 years old when he recorded it but still was able to solidly reach the high F notes. Also, his more mature physical development resulted in a stronger, more full sound. sfkcbf

GermanTranslation in English
Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen,
Tod und Verzweiflung flammet um mich her!
Fühlt nicht durch dich Sarastro Todesschmerzen,
So bist du meine Tochter nimmermehr.
Verstossen sei auf ewig,
Verlassen sei auf ewig,
Zertrümmert sei'n auf ewig
Alle Bande der Natur
Wenn nicht durch dich Sarastro wird erblassen!
Hört, Rachegötter, hört der Mutter Schwur!Hell's vengeance boileth in mine heart,
Death and despair flame about me!
If Sarastro does not through thee feel the pain of death,
Then wilt thou be my daughter nevermore.
Disownéd be forever,
Forsaken be forever,
Destroyed be thou forever
All the bonds of nature,
If not through thee Sarastro becomes pale! (as death)
Hear, Gods of Vengeance, hear a mother's oath!

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Clint
• van
• der
• Linde
• boy
• soprano
• Mozart
• Queen
• of
• the
• Night
• treble
• opera

[jadoredobby]

that can't seriously be a 16 year old boy...

can it?

but he's practically a man at 16! that's amazing

:-O

[sfkcbf]

Boys tend to mature at very different rates. In the age of Mozart and during the previous Baroque era, boys commonly experienced voice change at ages ranging from 16 to even 18 (Haydn at 17). Bach had an advantage using boy sopranos for that reason. Nowdays, boys and girls seem to go through puberty as young as 12 or even 8 or 9. Who knows why? Perhaps the growth hormones and other chemicals in our food chain. Of course, castrati were singers with "extended boyhood."

[forallyouknow]

Wow! A lot of today's so-called "coloratura sopranos" can't even sing this well! It is not just the intrinsic timbre, but also the shaping of the phrases... And was that a trill somewhere in the middle?

[sfkcbf]

@josquine To my knowledge, the term "countertenor" never has been applied to a boy soprano.

[Navajo549]

I still like Robin's rendition, but this kid nails the high notes much better

[2010wieliczka]

@Teffhiphop Yes, Diana has more dramatic voice and more female. Clint has rather a liric soprano timbre. But it is nice listen to "angelic" Holle rache :)

[Teffhiphop]

I think that Diana Damrau has a stronger voice that to sing this music is important.

but the boy sings well, I liked it

[2010wieliczka]

@Teffhiphop supplement- the highest notes are much more better by the Clint- Diana can't do it so easy and "modal". But ofcourse, it does not change anything- you have right.

[2010wieliczka]

@Teffhiphop Exactly but try imagine- what happend, if Clint was at the age of diana with unchanged voice :) Or what about Diana's performance at the 15 yo age :)

[2010wieliczka]

@sfkcbf Yes. but Clint singing this aria is rather a man, not a boy :) His voice is between boy soprano, male soprano (castrati), female soprano- it is not possible to pigeonhole it.

[Teffhiphop]

i liked it, particulary with a boy playing, but there is no one like diana damrau :)

[PLATOON72]

FANTASTICO!!!!