Natasha hits Euro soccer heights

9:11am Tuesday 1st July 2008

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EURO 2008 wasn't the best three weeks for English football fans, but it was a great opportunity for one High Wycombe singer.

Operatic soprano Natasha Marsh was chosen to record the theme music for ITV's coverage of the European Championship finals.

The Welsh-born 32-year-old beauty was the voice behind the Queen of the Night aria from Mozart's The Magic Flute which played over the opening sequences to every match.

Natasha, who moved to Wycombe nearly two years ago with her husband, said: "I was delighted to do it. I love the passion, beauty and power that football and music share."

She added: "I've sung Pamina - the part of the young princess, daughter of Queen - in opera houses all round Europe, but I'm not a Queen of the Night, with those stratospheric top Fs.

"So I told ITV we'd have to do an adaptation, because it's not my role. We changed the key, obviously, then they found an arranger to add a different take on it.

"It's a little bit more brass-heavy than Mozart's original and the orchestration is different. It gives it a more epic quality." Natasha also performed the English national anthem at the 2008 Carling cup Final in February - the first league final to be played at the new Wembley Stadium.

She has toured with other classical chart toppers Russell Watson, G4 and Il Divo, and sung with José Carreras at the Royal Albert Hall.

Her debut album, Amour, shot straight to the top of the UK Classical Artist Chart last year.

Her self-titled follow up was released last Monday.