It is one of the very few operas where the women (Mary Queen of Scots and Elizabeth I) are front and center. Even if we accept that a superimposed plot about their falling for the same man is valid, as opposed to the more pressing issues of country, throne, continuation of a dynasty, and religion, we almost always see *men* in operas involved in this kind of bitter rivalry over a woman. It is refreshing to see the tables turned for once.

As for the music, what riches! The cloud aria, the best known confrontation scene in operatic history, the confession, the prayer with its soft, soaring note that continues for an eternity, and the suppressed fury of the finale; they speak for themselves.

In the confrontation scene, there are a few ways for Mary to be effective: a sort of old Italian school no-nonsense singing with dollops of voce di petto (Zampieri, early to mid-career Grubby, Caballé sometimes); a dignified, regal, seamless delivery (Baker, Sills, DiDonato, Gencer); and absolute bat-shit cray-cray but in a highly exciting, pin-you-to-the-seats-like-Nilsson-in-Turandot approach (Sondra R., June Bronhill). The singers who choose to do none of these (Sutherland, Devia, Mosuc, Aliberti, Murray) are perhaps not my favorites in this scene. This is the moment for Maria to tear Good Queen Bess a new one: do that with a regal composure or batshit craziness, but DO it. June Bronhill, the Australian soprano known mostly for her G&S recordings (she must be the oldest known Phyllis in Iolanthe in the entire history of recordings of it) and other operetta such as The Merry Widow, is an unlikely Mary Stuart, but what she lacks in technique she makes up for in commitment and craziness.