Opera Scotland

Cristina Deutekom Suggest updates

Stientje Engel.

Born Amsterdam, 28 August 1931.

Died Amsterdam, 7 August 2014.

Dutch soprano.

Cristina Deutekom enjoyed several years as a leading coloratura soprano, adept at Mozart, and with sufficient dramatic power to tackle the greatest roles of the bel canto repertoire, as well as some Verdi parts. She sang frequently in the major Italian houses, being particularly popular at the Fenice in Venice. She also worked regularly in the USA.

Deutekom trained at the conservatoire in Amsterdam before joining the Netherlands Opera. Her first performances as Queen of Night in 1963 led to the rapid development of her international career, and she sang the part in most of the major opera houses, including the New York Met. Her repertoire included several other Mozart roles (Donna Anna, Fiordiligi, Vitellia), as well as Handel (Alcina), Cherubini (Médée), Rossini (Armida, Sinaïde Mosè in Egitto), Donizetti (Lucia), and Bellini (Bianca in Bianca e Fernando, Norma, Elvira). Her appearances in Verdi were mainly in revivals of early works, including Nabucco, Alzira, I masnadieri and Macbeth. She also sang some later Verdi parts including Gilda, Leonora, Elena (I vespri siciliani) and Amelia (both Simon Boccanegra and Un ballo in maschera).

She sang little in Britain, but made her debut at Covent Garden in 1968 (as Queen of Night). Her only appearances in Scotland were in 1975, when Scottish Opera staged Un ballo in maschera.

Her recordings include Queen of Night in Solti's first recording of Die Zauberflöte, Giselda in I Lombardi (with Domingo and Raimondi) and Odabella in Attila (with Bergonzi, Milnes and Raimondi). Extracts from the Scottish Opera Ballo were also recorded.