The Magic Flute

When Whitney Houston (pre-crack) sang “Queen of the Night” for her hit film The Bodyguard in a metallic outfit, you thought you’d heard all you needed to determine she was the supreme monarch of after-hours rock. But don’t go handing over the tiara quite yet —the original diva supreme, Astrofiammante, is clinging to her crown with a vengeance. She’s Mozart’s famed character and the original Queen of the Night from the 1791 masterpiece The Magic Flute . And this time she’s being played by Luz del Alba Rubio, a talented soprano with a vocal range that makes Ms. Houston’s look like a child humming nursery rhymes. Need proof? Go watch the opera classic being performed live at the Cerritos Center this Sunday. You’ll hear the true queen sing “Der Hölle Rache,” one of the most complex and spectacular pieces of music ever created and also get the bonus of ogling elaborate costumes, witnessing a timeless tale of love and experiencing a bit of old world entertainment transformed to suit these modern times.
Sun., March 29, 3 p.m., 2009