In addition to its being a great opera, it seems that the Kostelnicka has become the preserve of mezzos and dramatics who are past their best, and are moving into character roles. I wish this wasn't the case, as the part deserves much better than that. I saw a production in 1980 starring Elisabeth Söderström in the title role and Sena Jurinac as the Kostelnicka, and Jurinac wiped the floor with everyone else. She was just hair-raising.
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