Cristina Deutekom: Verdi - Nabucco, 'Ben io t'invenni Salgo già'

Cristina Deutekom (born Christine Engel, August 28, 1931) is a Dutch opera singer. Renowned for her coloratura technique, she is also known as Christine Deutekom and Christina Deutekom. Her voice was that of a dramatic coloratura, although lirico spinto with an incredible coloratura technique would probably be more accurate. She sang with virtually all the leading tenors of her time: Franco Corelli, Richard Tucker, Luciano Pavarotti, Plácido Domingo, José Carreras, Alfredo Kraus, Carlo Bergonzi and Nicolai Gedda. Deutekom was born in Amsterdam. After some smaller roles, her breakthrough came in 1963, portraying the Queen of the Night in Mozart's Die Zauberflöte at De Nederlandse Opera. She then sang the same role at all major European opera houses and also at the Metropolitan Opera in New York in 1968. In 1974 she opened the MET season next to Plácido Domingo as Elena in I vespri siciliani. Meanwhile she had been extending her repertoire. Besides the Queen of the Night, her Mozart roles included Donna Anna (Don Giovanni), Fiordiligi (Così fan tutte) and Vitellia (La clemenza di Tito). She also scored triumphant successes in Italy in the great bel canto roles of Rossini (Armida), Bellini (Norma, I puritani) and Donizetti (Lucia di Lammermoor). She went on to achieve international fame in a repertoire that also embraced the great dramatic Verdi roles (Abigaile in Nabucco, Lady Macbeth, Leonora in Il trovatore, Amelia in Un ballo in maschera, Elena in I vespri siciliani and the roles that were captured in commercial recordings: Giselda in I Lombardi and Odabella in Attila). Finally, she went on to sing the title role in Puccini's Turandot. Cristina's stage career ended in 1986, when she suffered a heart attack. She turned to giving master classes internationally. As of 2001, she was a guest teacher at the Royal Conservatory of the Hague... en.wikipedia.or...
Lyrics & English Translation
Behold, the whirlwind of the Lord goeth forth: it shall fall upon the head of the wicked. (Jeremiah 30:23)
ABIGAIL
entering hastily, with a parchment in her hand
Happy chance I found you, oh fatal document! In his bosom
the King tried to hide you, in order to prove
my shame!... Abigail, issue of slaves!
Very well, let it be so! ... Daughter of Nabucco
such as the Assyrians take me to be,
what am I here? Worse than a slave! The throne
the King confides to the younger Fenena,
whilst he, among his soldiers, bends his mind
to exterminate Judaea! Me he sends from the battlefield here
to observe the lives of others! Oh, wretches all,
and even more deluded! Little do you know
the heart of Abigail!
Upon everyone you will see
my fury fall! Ah yes! Let Fenena fall ...
my pretended father ... the whole realm!
Upon me hurl thyself, oh fatal anger!
I, too, once opened
my heart to happiness!
Everything around me
I heard speak of holy love;
I wept at others' tears,
suffered at others' pain;
ah! to that lost enchantment
who will return me one day?
I wept at others' tears, etc.
The High Priest of Baal, accompanied by soothsayers, now enters.
Who comes here?
HIGH PRIEST
My eyes have witnessed
a terrible sight!
ABIGAIL
Oh! Of what do you speak?
HIGH PRIEST
Fenena is a wicked woman,
she is setting the Hebrews free!
ABIGAIL
Oh!
HIGH PRIEST
Who now can check
this accursed rabble?
Power awaits you ...
ABIGAIL
How's that?
HIGH PRIEST
All is prepared.
HIGH PRIEST, SOOTHSAYERS
We have already spread the rumour abroad
that the King has fallen in battle ...
The people call for you as queen
to save the Assyrian land.
Only a step... fortune is yours.
Be stout of heart!
ABIGAIL
I am with you! Go!
Oh, faithful subject, this woman
shall not yield to you in stalwart courage!
I now ascend the blood-stained seat
of the golden throne.
From that seat I shall be able
to take my revenge.
That the sceptre is mine by right
all peoples shall see! Ah!
Royal princesses will come hither
to beg favours of the humble slave.
HIGH PRIEST, SOOTHSAYERS
And the vengeance of Baal
will thunder alongside yours!
Yes, alongside yours!
ABIGAIL
I now ascend the blood-stained seat, etc.
HIGH PRIEST, SOOTHSAYERS
And the vengeance of Baal
will thunder alongside yours!
ABIGAIL
they will beg grace of the humble slave.
Please Enjoy!
I send my kind and warm regards,