Cristina Deutekom facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cristina Deutekom
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Cristina Deutekom, 2011
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| Born |
Stientje Engel
28 August 1931 |
| Died | 7 August 2014 (aged 82) Amsterdam, Netherlands
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| Alma mater | Conservatorium van Amsterdam |
| Occupation | Opera singer (soprano) |
| Years active | 1957–1987 |
| Title | Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau (1974) |
| Spouse(s) |
Jacob "Jaap" Deutekom
(m. 1952) |
Cristina Deutekom (born Stientje Engel; 28 August 1931 – 7 August 2014) was a famous Dutch opera singer. She was known as a coloratura soprano. This means she had a very high singing voice and could sing fast, fancy musical passages.
She sang with many of the greatest tenors of her time. These included Plácido Domingo, Luciano Pavarotti, and José Carreras.
Contents
Life of a Star Singer
Cristina Deutekom was born Stientje Engel in Amsterdam, Netherlands. She studied music at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam. Her teachers helped her develop her amazing voice.
In 1963, she made her first big appearance with De Nederlandse Opera. She played the Queen of the Night in Mozart's opera The Magic Flute. At first, she thought about quitting singing because her career was not moving forward quickly.
A Lucky Discovery
One day, while performing in Spain, something special happened. Cristina was singing a small part in an opera called Der Rosenkavalier. In her dressing room, she was warming up her voice. She sang a very difficult song called the Queen of the Night aria.
Another famous singer, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, heard her. Schwarzkopf was amazed by Cristina's voice. She asked Cristina why she wasn't singing this role all over the world. Schwarzkopf then introduced Cristina to her own manager. This meeting changed Cristina's career forever!
Conquering the Opera World
After this, Cristina Deutekom became famous for her role as the Queen of the Night. She performed in major opera houses around the world. At the Royal Opera House in London, a magazine called Opera praised her. They said her performance was almost as good as the legendary Maria Callas.
In 1968, she sang at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. The New York Times newspaper called her "the greatest Queen of the Night of our time." In 1974, she opened the Met season. She sang the role of Elena in I vespri siciliani with Plácido Domingo.
Other Famous Roles
Besides the Queen of the Night, Cristina sang many other important roles. She performed in Mozart's Don Giovanni and Così fan tutte. She also sang in famous bel canto operas. Bel canto means "beautiful singing" and focuses on smooth, flowing melodies. Some of these roles were Norma in Bellini's Norma and Lucia in Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor.
She also took on challenging roles in operas by Giuseppe Verdi. These included Abigaile in Nabucco and Lady Macbeth. She even sang the main roles in Puccini's Turandot and Cherubini's Médée.
End of Her Stage Career
Cristina Deutekom decided to stop performing on stage at the end of 1986. She had some health issues during an opera performance. After that, she started teaching music to students around the world. She gave special classes called master classes.
In 1996, she made a special return performance. She sang at a concert in Amsterdam and amazed the audience. Later, in 2004, she had a stroke. After this, she retired from public life. In 2011, a tribute concert was held for her. This was her last public appearance.
Her Unique Singing Style
Cristina Deutekom had a special way of singing very fast, high notes. This technique was called "glottal-stop." Some people loved it, saying it sounded like a type of yodeling. Others criticized it, sometimes calling it "cluckatura." But it was definitely a unique part of her vocal style.
Personal Life
Cristina married Jacob "Jaap" Deutekom in 1952. He was a boxer. They had a daughter named Irma, who was born in 1955. Cristina Deutekom passed away on 7 August 2014, after a fall at her home.
Honors and Awards
Cristina Deutekom received many awards and honors for her amazing talent:
- Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau, 1974
- Singer of the year, Milan, 1974
- Singer of the year, Milan, 1973
- Premio Romeo e Juliet, Verona, 1972
- Rigoletto d'Oro, Mantua, 1973
- Monteverdi d'Oro, Venice, 1972
- Palco Scenico d'Oro, Mantua, 1971
- Grand Prix du Disque of the Académie Charles Cros, Paris, 1968
- Arena d'Oro, Verona, 1976
Images for kids
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Cristina Deutekom and her husband in 1979
See also
In Spanish: Cristina Deutekom para niños
