Joan Sutherland all recorded Queen of the Night's Arias

Recordings comparison of Joan Sutherland singing the arias transposed and examples of how she would had sounded in the original key ;)
Joan Sutherland only live recording of Mozart's Queen of the Night in January 4, 1962 at Covent Garden, London, and the first aria recorded in Studio, June 1963.
Both live arias was transposed down.
"O zittre nicht, mein lieber Sohn" from original Bb Major to A Major (the High F became E);
"Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen" from original D Minor to C Minor
(the High F became Eb)
The Studio recording was recorded in the original key and to our surprise Joan hits not a High F, but a F#
From her biography:
When chastised for transposing the big aria away from the High F's, Bonynge retorted: "It's just too damned high anyway".

[@4caeruleus]

If it's true that pitch was lower in Mozart's time, then in transposing the aria down this singer is giving us a chance to hear it as Mozart would have heard it.

[@rakellcolotta3675]

I actually like the transposed version best! I think you can hear the beauty of Joans voice better and it makes the queen sound quite heroic. I love everything she sang and I'm glad we have all of these recordings,thank you once again Vini.

[@MrStpendouslvforjo]

Very interesting post! The studio recording in the original key was EXCELLENT! She really had the full tone and mature sound that the Queen needs! Other coloratura sopranos just don't have the timbre for this role - High F or not. Other coloratura soprano sound like "pip-squeek" voices. Like little girls.... I don't understand why she didn't sing the arias is the original keys at Covent Garden - maybe she wasn't feeling well? Her fast passages and runs were the best in the world....still ARE.

[@JoanSutherlandFan]

George, Mozart don't mentionated the type of voice to sing the role, but yes, one voice capable to hit the F, then only leggero soprano actualy can do it, but their voices are 'light', what don't fit exactly in the role, I mean the light voice is girlish, fragile to represent a Queen of vengeance! Different from the other, Joan have the agility and the weight necessary to demostrate the Queen's deep evilness haha Unfortunately the live performance was transposed, I wonder why too....

[@ahogbin2644]

Apparently Bonynge said the role was just ‘too damn high’! She certainly sounds very imperious in this. I don’t care if there are a few transpositions when sung so superbly.

[@nathandavis3002]

I ADORE her first act aria, particularly in the original key. She navigates the coloratura passages with absolute ease and accuracy. Shes my favorite "O zittre nicht". Her "der holle rache" is good too, but unlike pretty much everything else she sang, she wasn't able to sing it better then every other singer combined. My favorite queen is absolutely Deutekom. But dear joans der holle rache is still certainly nothing to be sniffed at.

[@JoanSutherlandFan]

This role have to be sung with weight even to execute the coloratura, what Joan do with authority. The specialized critic published that the Joan's stage presence and performance saved that weak production.

[@SueGittins]

I spent my adolescence reading George Eliot and listening to Joan Sutherland.Better than worrying acne or exams.This is magnificence.All you need.

[@crisha721]

this is the kind of voice for this role, naturally opulent sound with agility and beautiful tone. I think the most important thing needed for this role is a convincing voice, which Joan had and most sopranos celebrated in this role DON'T. Sure, there are other great singers in this aria but most of them rely heavily on overacting to compensate the squeezed tone production in the high notes, they dont have a naturally dramatic sound. Joan's interpretation of this aria feels a little bit "relaxed" ,but the voice itself is superior to everyone else, maybe she could have "tried better" but she didn't need too, overacting was not her style, she knew what she had and she respected the musicality of the piece over anything else.

[@JoanSutherlandFan]

*I agree, Joan could try to work more to not transpose the arias. Well, as the critics wrote that night was that Joan saved that awful production with her voice and stage presence.*

[@artdanks]

@@JoanSutherlandFan That's interesting, especially since she wasn't particularly known for her stage presence.

[@williammaddox3339]

@@artdanks Actually Sutherland once she learned to use her physique was known for her stage presence.

[@ChrisStockslager]

I just think it’s so weird that in the studio recording that weird little squeak is the best take they had. She obviously had a pretty stable F at least in 1957. Go figure. One wonders how many takes they had of that piece!

[@JoanSutherlandFan]

Chris Stockslager Yes, Joan never enjoyed so much to hit that notes. I wonder how many materials Richard keeps hidden.

[@marylambcarter]

oh yes ... HIDDEN JOAN ... A DREAMMMMMM

[@williammaddox3339]

The studio version does not sound like a " weird little squeak " to me; I hear ringing in that top F. That was a lot of voice to take up to a high F. It is not surprising she lost a reliable top F.

[@artdanks]

@@beachfanatic2010 Absolutely! To this day, Edda Moser is still the best Queen of the Night I've ever heard!

[@kimdreyer4970]

@@williammaddox3339 I don't hear any ringing in that note at all, but I wouldn't call it a squeak either. It sounds forceful to me, like she punches out the sound. It's not the most beautiful high F, but it's exciting that she gets there. There is a definite sense that she is at the very top of her range, and it's obvious why she didn't habitually interpolate a high F at the end of Ah non giunge or keep the Queen of the Night in her repertoire. In her vocal prime, her high E was glorious, though.

[@angr3819]

Thank you I never knew she sang this role. Until now Deutekom has been my favourite but I am now going to have to have two favourites for the Queen of the Night. I really like that Southerland is unrushed.

[@peterdevita6308]

Dame Joan is simply the GREATEST

[@rossmerchant8435]

I wish it was more common knowledge that pitch has raised significantly since Mozart's time. People definitely wouldn't have expected an F to sound that high anyway so I don't see what the hassle is in having to transpose this. Indeed I'm sure there are several iconic portrayals in operatic history that we have been robbed of since this change has made it impossible for singers to take on roles that should have lied within their range.

[@danielintheantipodes6741]

Rivetting to hear Joanie singing this. Not ger greatest role, but it is historically rivetting.

[@JoanSutherlandFan]

Daniel Hammond I'm suspect to say (as a Joan lover), but even transposed down she has more musicality than many other singers, the voice is powerful and heavy, the coloratura is fast and flexible. Definitely a queen of vengeance ;)

[@danielintheantipodes6741]

Vinicius Soaris Absolutely! The Queen tends to be sung by light weights. Not ideal. I love Joanie's depth. I don't mind the trransposition.

[@rakellcolotta3675]

I LOVE IT❤️❣️❣️❣️

[@gd3172]

When pitched up, sutherland sounds more like deutekom (except for the high notes)

[@JoanSutherlandFan]

Gab Dominic I think she sounded more as she sounded in the early career with a bit mixed sound HAHAHA

[@ghadakamal22]

Not syncing with the orchestra

[@jessicarinaldi7742]

Trilles maîtrisées, c'est pas du pipeau

[@walterwynn3562]

No.. Don't care for..pitch too low

[@JoanSutherlandFan]

I think during Mozart time, the pitch were lower than what we have today. So, Joan is more accurately to how they sounded ages ago.

[@walterwynn3562]

Sorry...not a fan of this product.

[@schneevongestern9898]

Mozart was not for her. Anything german was not for her honestly.