Mikhail Hallak / Coaching / French
French has always been of the hardest languages for singers. Not because of its difficulty or its exceptions (although there are many) but rather because it is often not taught particularly well. It’s not enough to be told, “repeat after me” if you haven’t been given any explanation or instruction as to precisely how to do it. How is a vowel shaped? How is the tongue shaped? How are the lips shaped? etc.Singers studying French are generally still taught a rather old-fashioned, uptight and overly-enunciated way of speaking. This style of diction is more a caricature of French than how it is really spoken (think Inspector Clouseau) and it can present significant problems and esthetic issues if used while singing.
There is a difference between spoken French and “diction soutenue” which applies to singers. The rules of diction soutenue are different and not generally known but they are simple and easy to learn. The diction is more relaxed and as a result more intelligible for the audience.
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