Anastasiya Taratorkina (Germany/Russia) was even able to surpass this performance.

Here we may have heard a successor to the great Antonina Neschdanova, whose recordings are often cited as a reference for the bel canto of the second half of the 19th century. Ms Taratorkina owes her knowledge of bel canto technique and style to her studies with Hendrikje Wangemann at the Dresden University of Music. The sun rose radiantly during her Norina aria from Don Pasquale by Donizetti. Perfect diction, softly intoned top notes at every dynamic level, humour and an economical approach to the exact point of the role made her interpretation an experience. Here, too, there was a spontaneous switch to a suicidal Pamina, who succeeded so intimately, colourfully and in perfect German that after the last notes there was dead silence before the bursting applause. “No word from Tom” from Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress revealed further interesting vocal colours and an astonishingly sonorous depth. Anastasiya Taratorkina is a virtuosa and a name to remember, because she will soon be conquering the big houses as Gilda, Norina and hopefully Zerbinetta too.