Set in a terrifying D minor, this aria is particularly memorable because of its extraordinarily wide and demanding two octave vocal range. Mozart wrote it with his sister-in-law, Josepha Hofer, in mind. Hofer, who was 32 at the time of The Magic Flute
The Magic Flute
During World War I, in an unnamed country, a soldier named Tamino is sent by the Queen of the Night to rescue her daughter Pamina from the clutches of the supposedly evil Sarastro. But all is not as it seems.
What is the Queen of the night singing about in Mozart’s aria?
What is the Queen of the Night really singing about in Mozart’s aria? We translated the German lyrics to find out… The Queen of the Night: she’s the fabulously terrifying character in Mozart ’s The Magic Flute who most sopranos have a total love-hate relationship with.
Who was the first person to perform Mozart's aria?
The effect is accompanied by unexpected Neapolitan harmony in the orchestra, with all the violins playing in unison high on the G string to intensify the sound. The first singer to perform the aria onstage was Mozart's sister-in-law Josepha Hofer, who at the time was 32.
What is the highest note in Queen of the Night aria?
Consequently, what is the highest note in the Queen of the Night aria? Ms Luna is a coloratura soprano - the voice type capable of the highest notes - and specialises in thrilling, trilling vocal runs that pour out strongly even at their peaks.
Is the Queen of the Night Opera’s most deranged mother?
The librettist Emanuel Schikaneder concludes the aria with words which suggest that the Queen of the Night is almost certainly one of opera’s most deranged mothers. (Bellini’s bloodthirsty Norma is a close competitor).
Who was the best Queen of the Night?
Diana Damrau is probably best known for this role. She has performed it in more than 15 different productions....Diana Damrau is the Best Queen of the Night in HistoryHome.Entertainment.Music.Diana Damrau is the Best…
What is the highest note in Queen of the Night aria?
The famous aria from Mozart's “ The Magic Flute” is known for being one of the most demanding Soprano pieces in the literature. Popularly know as 'the Queen of the night', the aria features a high note of F6 within a challenging section that darts up into a demandingly high register.
Is the Queen of the Night Good or Evil?
She is first introduced as the desperate mother whose beloved daughter was kidnapped, but it ultimately appears that she is the villain of the story, who wants to steal the powerful Circle of the Sun.
What does the Queen of the Night represent?
So who or what does SHE symbolize? That's easy. For Mozart, the Queen of the Night represents that segment of his well-meaning Austrian neighbors who were suspicious of Freemasonry; neighbors who now included the Emperor himself, Joseph II.
What is the most difficult aria to sing?
One of the most difficult coloratura arias in the entire operatic repertoire, “Les oiseaux dans la charmille,” comes from Offenbach's The Tales of Hoffman (Les contes d'Hoffmann).
Why is the Queen of the Night aria so difficult?
The aria is renowned as a demanding piece to perform well. The vocal range covers two octaves, from F4 to F6 and requires a very high tessitura, A4 to C6. Thomas Bauman has expressed particular admiration for one moment in the score.
Does the Queen of the Night have a name?
cereus. The queen-of-the-night (S. grandiflorus), the best-known night-blooming cereus, is often grown indoors. The saguaro (Carnegiea gigantea) and the organ pipe cactus (Stenocereus thurberi) are also sometimes referred to as cereus.
What are some interesting facts about the Queen of the Night flower?
The scientific name of the Queen of the Night is Epiphyllum oxypetalum and it is from the family Cactaceae, the family of cacti. Queen of the Nights typically have large white coloured flowers that are usually 12 to 17 centimetres (5 to 7 inches) in diameter, that bloom in summer.
How hard is the Queen of the Night aria?
The Queen of the Night is difficult to cast. The first aria, “O zittre nicht,” is vastly different from the second, more well-known “Der Hölle Rache.” The recitative portion of “O zittre nicht” is full of legato lines with lots of room for a singer to play with dynamics and to shape phrases.
How does Mozart show the Queens rising fury in the Queen of the Night's aria from The Magic Flute?
How does Mozart show the queen's rising fury in the Queen of the Night's aria from The Magic Flute? The notes of the aria rise in pitch as the queen gets more excited and angry.
What is Mozart's most famous aria?
Queen of the Night and the Magical Flute. This is one of Mozart's most famous arias, from the second half of one of his most famous operas "Die Zauberflöte" or The Magic Flute; Wolfgang was a Freemason so we can assume there are Freudian-dynamics aplenty in this one.
What is the meaning of the word "Aria"?
Aria, as described in the American Heritage Dictionary. a·ri·a(ä r ē - ə )Share: n. 1. A solo vocal piece with instrumental accompaniment, as in an opera. 2. An air; a melody. Here is one version of Mozart's Aria: Queen of the Night.
Who is the Queen's daughter?
The Queen's daughter Pamina is taken in by the thinking of an enlightened order of priests... It turns out there's this old queen, "The Queen of the Night" and, if I understand my sources correctly, she represents an old way of thinking and behaving, revenge and cruelty being two of the hallmarks of that way of thinking.
Who wrote Queen of the Night?
Jun 28, 2021. Quick Analysis of Mozart's Aria: Queen of the Night. Author: Ben Zoltak. Ben Zoltak is an artist & author with a keen ear for a variety of music, analyzing & breaking down eclectic forms for all who might hear.
What does the Queen of the Night tell Pamina?
Placing a knife in her daughter’s hand, the Queen of the Night tells Pamina that if she fails to assassinate Sarastro, she will be cursed and disowned. The librettist Emanuel Schikaneder concludes the aria with words which suggest that the Queen of the Night is almost certainly one of opera’s most deranged mothers.
Who is Pamina's mother?
In one of the opera’s most recognizable arias, “ Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen“ (“Hell’s vengeance boils in my heart”), Pamina’s mother, the Queen of the Night, flies into a fit of vengeful rage. Placing a knife in her daughter’s hand, the Queen of the Night tells Pamina that if she fails to assassinate Sarastro, ...
Where was Diana Damrau's first performance?
Here is Diana Damrau’s legendary 2003 debut performance at London’s Royal Opera House, Covent Garden:
Who wrote the aria in D minor?
Mozart wrote it with his sister-in-law, Josepha Hofer, in mind. Hofer, who was 32 at the time of The Magic Flute ‘s 1791 premiere, was known for her extraordinary upper register.
What level is the Queen of the Night?
Her aria ‘Der Hölle Rache’, more commonly known as the Queen of the Night aria, reaches an astonishingly high, Mariah Carey-level F6 above top C. It’s an aria reserved only for the most daring ...
Who threatens the Queen's power?
To give some context to her anger, the aria comes at a moment when the Queen’s power and position is threatened by the sorcerer Sarastro, whose brotherhood her daughter Pamina is thinking about joining.
Who is the original Queen of the Night?
It’s an aria reserved only for the most daring sopranos, like Mozart’s sister-in-law Josepha Hofer (the original Queen of the Night) and German opera singer Diana Damrau. But among the distracting coloratura passages of ‘ah-ah-ah-ah-aaah!’, what on earth is the Queen of the Night actually singing about?
