Mariella Devia easily knocks out Donizetti's regiment song

THE SONGBIRD: Here is the legendary Mariella Devia, one of the great coloratura sopranos of our -- or any -- era. She was born in 1948, made her debut as Despina at the Spoleto Festival in 1972, and was still singing concerts in good form through 2020 (acknowledging the pandemic had halted or altered many venue bookings). Devia is a bel canto specialist, but also sings baroque works and the lyric-coloratura roles of Mozart and several French composers.
THE MUSIC: Donizetti is an Italian composer through and through, yet "La fille du régiment" (or the Daughter of the Regiment) falls in the national stylistic cracks as it was composed for the Opera-Comique and premiered there in 1840. Donizetti lived in Paris for two years and wrote "Fille" while there -- his first opera written to a French text. Despite a weak premiere and some negative reviews, the opera became a world-wide hit and a favorite of star coloratura sopranos who want to have fun. When we are first introduced to the title character Marie, an orphan who was adopted by a military regiment, she sings their ebullient regimental song.

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One of the greatest under-recorded singers.

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