“The Queen of the Night, her glory reduced to a glimmer, is the white dwarf to Sarastro’s towering sun, a fabulous geriatric in a spangly dress who cannot move without assistance. She draws on reserves of finite, fantastic power, and, in this regard, the soprano Kathryn Lewek was utterly enthralling, emitting richly glowing bursts of notes like a collapsing star in “O zittre nicht.” She careered around the stage in a wheelchair during “Der Hölle Rache,” bringing thrilling drama to a coloratura showpiece so fiendish that sopranos are lucky to get through it when they’re standing stock still.”
