Vancouver Opera

Interview with the Queen of the Night

We were going to release an episode of the new Vancouver Opera podcast Treading the Boreds today, but we’re still massaging the audio levels from a couple of thunderclaps that marked the entrance and exit of our special guest. In case the audio proves unusable, we thought we’d share the full written transcript of that interview. ____ VO: Hey podcast listeners, we’ve got a great show for you this week. A little later on, we’ll hear from our national correspondent, who recently paid a visit to the Lloydminster, Saskatchewan factory where all of the wood glue our prophouse uses is made. But first up, we’re excited to have a special guest in-studio. All the way from a fantastical land between the sun and the moon, it’s the Queen of the Night herself! Queen, thanks for joining us today. How are you doing? QotN: The vengeance of Hell boils in my heart. VO: I get you! I’m the same until I’ve finished my second coffee. We do appreciate you coming to the studio so early. So, you recently got to work with your daughter, Pamina, on a pretty interesting project that also involved Sorastro, longtime high priest and a former guest on this podcast. What can you tell us about that experience? Any words of advice you gave Pamina, as someone who’s had such a long and illustrious career in the magik industry? QotN: Yeah, a couple of main things. Firstly, it’s super important to always stay hydrated. Like, if you think you’ve already had enough water for the day, you should at least double that. Also, I think I said something to the effect of “if Sarastro does not through you feel the pain of death, then you will be my daughter nevermore. Disowned may you be forever, abandoned may you be forever, destroyed be forever”, that sort of thing.  VO: Great notes. Strong, motivating words. And, so, how did it go? QotN: No more questions! This interview is over.  ____ For more info on what the Queen was talking about, who Pamina and Sorastro are, and what else goes on with the likes of the flute-wielding adventurer Tamino, his bird-catching, bell-ringing buddy Papageno, and everyone else in this wild storybook tale, here’s a great Magic Flute synopsis to bring you up to speed: [The Magic Flute Synopsis]