Revealed: Why You Can't Understand What An Opera Soprano Is Singing

The Telegraph (UK) ^ | 1-8-2004 | Roger Highfield

[muawiyah]

Before attending an opera it is wise to read the text.

As it turns out, the soprano is usually given something less than the main part of the story line so it doesn't matter whether you understand what she's saying.

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[bcoffey]

Interesting article.

I have been a vocal coach to a number of folks (including a couple of names you'd recognize). I try to remind them that since there are 5 vowels and 21 consonants in the English language, that only singing the vowels does not convey information.

The "music" is in the vowels.

The "information"is in the consonants.

(Plus, since most consonants are formed with the mouth closed or partially closed, one must emphasize the consonants in the singer's head so that the overall effect sounds "right" to the listener.

Thanks for the post, blam - brings back memories.

[LPStar]

I often find it hard to distinguish the accent of a singer (e.g. it's sometimes hard to tell an American from a Brit), and I wondered why that was. Now I know. Much of an accent has to do with vowels, and if they all sound the same, then it would be hard to distinguish accents.

[LauraJean]

But what is the reason behind popular music.

[Atlas Sneezed]

Another thing. Opera singers look better from the cheap seats. They look less fat, and all you see is the stage makeup.

I tried going a few times, the expensive tickets, and fancy dress. BORING! (And I can sit listneing to orchestral music for 2 hours without complaint.

Opera is the jack of all trades (singing, acting, costuming, orchestral music, dancing) and the master of none.

[Lazamataz]

"For sopranos, the price of being heard is a loss in comprehensibility," said Dr Smith.

Ay, yo. I nevah seem t' have a hard time
being undahstood. A guy has a hard time hearin' me,
and Badda Bing, Badda Boom, all of a sudden his hearin' clears up nice. Capish?

[_Jim]

Was there a question buried somewhere in that statement?

[supercat]

Even without the resonance issues, opera singers generally round out their vowels so as to get volume at the expense of intellegibility. Vowels like the long "O" or long "E" tend to be sung more like a schwa or a short "I".

[Little Bill]

Every year I go into Boston and listen to the Messiah, all of the tenors and sopranos sound like they are being roasted over a hot fire, singing beyond their range.

[secret garden]

Saw this and thought of you ping.

[supercat]

Before attending an opera it is wise to read the text.

I once bought a libretto for "Madame Butterfly" which had the Italian and English neatly lined up line-by-line, with the first page of Italian on page 1, the first page of English on page 2, the second page of Italian on page 3, etc.

How do people publish such brilliancies?

[RightWhale]

That's what my voice coach said, too. Consonants get lost right away. You have to hit them hard if anything is to get out. Vowels are fine. You come to appreciate a vocalist who takes the trouble to hammer the consonants for the audience.

[novacation]

It depends on the language. Operas sung in German are easier to understand because it is a much more articulate language. English is not a great language for singing.Soprano Anna Moffo is very easy to understand. Some singers just slur more.

[mrsmith]

I don't understand most opera lyrics- but I never, never have trouble understanding Gilbert and Sullivan.

Well, "hardly ever!"

[bcoffey]

Actually good diction is not about overdoing the consonants in an "affected" way (you know what I mean -- exploded "t"s and so forth) as much as it is doing it consciously and in a large group doing it exactly the same way and exactly at the same time.

Goes for public speaking as well as singing. We as a people tend to be quite lazy with our diction.

[Hon]

This is not news. The louder one sings the more the vowels flatten out. Also the higher.

Verdi and the other bel canto composers always put very light orchestrations under crucial passages they wanted to be sure would be understood.

[muawiyah]

The "text" is irrelevant in opera.

[novacation]

I'm a big Gilbert and Sullivan fan also.Oh bliss, oh rapture! Oh rapture, oh bliss!