By: Alicia Waller
 |
| Gioacchino Rossini |
I’ve always thought the operatic voice was the pinnacle of
singing. Of course, I’m prone to think
that as a young student of voice and opera studies. Nevertheless, the voice’s capacity for
endless expression is undeniable. It is
like a fingerprint. Though two voices
may be similar, they will never be exactly the same. We singers are products of nature and
nurture. We are products of our
generation, where we’ve grown up, how we’ve grown up, our early musical influences
and of course the natural instrument.
There are countless other factors that inspire our individual sounds as
well; one of the most important being the years of carefully cultivated
learning that this style of singing requires.
Il Barbiere di
Siviglia by Gioacchino Rossini stands amongst an elite few operas as a
definitive representation of the Bel Canto art form and period. As such, rehearsals for this opera under the
baton of Maestro Willie Anthony Waters have been incredibly informative, and
have reminded me of some of the things that make Bel Canto singing “beautiful.”
I’d like to share some of the tips I’ve
learned with you! Keep in mind, they are also entirely relevant for our other opera this season, Guiseppe Verdi's La Traviata.
(1) When
looking for meaning in your text favor
the verb. Meaning, go towards it in
your phrasing.
(2) Most
musical phrases should have some element of crescendo and diminuendo.
(3) Always
sing through your vowels. This tip never gets old, and I can never be
reminded enough!
(4) The
accompaniment in Bel Canto is often the same no matter the sentiment. As such, the singer should show intention both musically and
visually as an actor.
Thanks again for reading!
Please contact us with any questions or ideas for future
blog posts. You can follow us on twitter
@martinazprelude or @aliciaenvivo.
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