I know this belongs in "Culture", but nobody ever looks there, so I'm putting it here.

I have seen Die Zauberflöte a few times over the years, and the Queen of the Night aria is usually the highlight. It's well known to be one of the most difficult in opera. The staccatos are particularly challenging to pull off without sounding strained. For me, I know a good performance when it doesn't give me second-hand anxiety.

I stumbled across this compilation of performances, and I thought it would be nice to give your favourite and why, and perhaps discuss some of the performances.

YouTube

My personal favourite is Cristina Deutekom. Despite the poor quality of the recording - 1971 I believe - the quality of her voice shines through. The staccatos are effortless and I can feel the dopamine rushing through my brain during the melisma triplets.

I won't say what I thought of the others yet.

Edit: Here is the full recording of Cristina Deutekom - I realized that the compilation did not contain the triplets that I mentioned.

YouTube

@Ashiitaka

Erika Miklosa could also act while singing, this is a plus.
Christina deutekom is very concentarted on singing. She is of course a great singer, but I can't find fault with any of them.

In fact I don't like that Aria overmuch. I am fonder of the bass arias (Sarastro)

@ponderable said
@Ashiitaka

Erika Miklosa could also act while singing, this is a plus.
Christina deutekom is very concentarted on singing. She is of course a great singer, but I can't find fault with any of them.

In fact I don't like that Aria overmuch. I am fonder of the bass arias (Sarastro)

@Ashiitaka

They are all amazing performances - my favourite is Cristina Deutekom.

@ashiitaka said
I know this belongs in "Culture", but nobody ever looks there, so I'm putting it here.

I have seen Die Zauberflöte a few times over the years, and the Queen of the Night aria is usually the highlight. It's well known to be one of the most difficult in opera. The staccatos are particularly challenging to pull off without sounding strained. For me, I know a good pe ...[text shortened]... ation did not contain the triplets that I mentioned.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQpTGKXAxqA

@Suzianne
Mozart was a real genius no doubt. I wonder who was it had the gall to thumb down this thread?

@sonhouse said
@Suzianne
Mozart was a real genius no doubt. I wonder who was it had the gall to thumb down this thread?

@ponderable said
I doubt that they meant to hit on Mozart...

@Torunn
Yep, just trolls.

@ashiitaka said
I know this belongs in "Culture", but nobody ever looks there, so I'm putting it here.

I have seen Die Zauberflöte a few times over the years, and the Queen of the Night aria is usually the highlight. It's well known to be one of the most difficult in opera. The staccatos are particularly challenging to pull off without sounding strained. For me, I know a good pe ...[text shortened]... ation did not contain the triplets that I mentioned.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQpTGKXAxqA

@pianoman1 said
Diana Damrau all day long. The energy and passion of her performance outweighs any slight technical issues. I agree with other posters that because this such a difficult coloratura aria it is often so cringeworthy as to be almost comical (Florence Foster Jenkins!).

@ponderable said
In times of Mozart the refernce point was at lower frequency, so that even "ordinary" sopranoes could reach the top notes 😉

Florence is a special case which probably woudl warrant a thread of her own.

@torunn said
My favourite opera singers are Kiri Te Kanawa, Renée Fleming, Maria Callas to mention a few. Birgit Nilsson is not one of them.

@pianoman1 said
Maria Callas for Verdi. Birgit Nilsson for Wagner. Renée Fleming for Mozart or for virtually anything. Kiri Te Kanawa too lightweight.

@suzianne said
Hmmmm, maybe if more people posted there...

then maybe more people would post there.

Just sayin'.