Lyric Diction – Book
Launching the 2022 Virtual Italian Lyric Diction Techniques & Interpretation Masterclass.
A unique 7-week industry-focused, hybrid programme of group modules and 1:1 consultation.
Masterclass Aims
- Confidence in using the libretto/text as the base for musical preparation
- Efficient, effortless vocal production and legato singing
- A complimentary, linguistic approach to resolving technical glitches
- Swifter score reading facility
- Improved awareness of vocal health, body connection, language and vocal onset.
- Renewed understanding of the relationship between the singing and speaking voice
- Authentic textual & musical interpretation and enriched performance experience
Structure
- 1:1 goal-setting session
- 5 x group lectures (90 mins each)
- 1:1 coaching on participant’s choice of repertoire
- WhatsApp community support
- All materials supplied by Masterclass Facilitator
Course Overview - Group Modules
- Welcome and course structure overview
- Mind over matter – The connection between thought and the vocal apparatus
- Top 3 markings from your Lyric Diction Coach
- Metric accent
- Atonic and tonic positioning – Weak and strong syllables
- Phonetics – What to open and close
- Latin etymology
- Narrow and wide vowel groups
- Vocalic Technique – 7 vowel formats
- Schwah & Legato
- Important Italian Bel Canto technical terms and how they relate to lyric diction
- Abstract & Interpretative Diction
- Breathing Apparatus
- The concept of support in diction (appoggio vs. sostegno)
- Vocal onset and chordal approximation
- Prosody
- Consonant treatment – Lingual, labial, dental, palatal, guttural
- Unvoiced and voiced consonants
- Syllable subdivison
- The rolled /r/ in Italian Lyric Diction
- Doubling and syntactic doubling (raddoppiamento fonosintattico)
- Verdian principle – La parola scenica (dramaturgy)
- Libretto subtext – Il filo del discorso (Stanislavski principle)
- Text declamation:
- Text
- Rhythm and dynamics
- Melody
- Practical online resources, apps and dictionaries for self-study
Session Flexibility
Participants are free to join any one of the two weekly group classes offered:
- 7pm – 8:30pm Tuesdays (CEST) More suitable for US-based participants
- 10am – 11:30am Fridays (CEST) More suitable for Australia, Asia Pacific-based participants
For UK & European-based participants both sessions are convenient
Dates and Times
* Minimum of 8-10 participants required for Masterclass to run
Group Session 1 | Group Session 2 | |
Session 1 | Tuesday 7-8:30pm CEST (July 26, 2022) | Friday 10-11:30am CEST (July 29, 2022) |
Session 2 | Tuesday 7-8:30pm CEST (August 2, 2022) | Friday 10-11:30am CEST (August 5, 2022) |
Session 3 | Tuesday 7-8:30pm CEST (August 9, 2022) | Friday 10-11:30am CEST (August 12, 2022) |
Session 4 | Tuesday 7-8:30pm CEST (August 16, 2022) | Friday 10-11:30am CEST (August 19, 2022) |
Session 5 | Tuesday 7-8:30pm CEST (August 23, 2022) | Friday 10-11:30am CEST (August 26, 2022) |
- 1:1 Sessions are to be scheduled directly with the Masterclass facilitator
- All goal-setting sessions are to take place before the first group lecture
My Commitment
I created this monthly online Masterclass Series in Italian Lyric Diction Techniques to support singers, répétiteurs and other stage creatives; both emerging talent and professionals, to learn what lyric diction is and how it can vastly improve the efficiency of their singing and/or textual understanding, from a thorough linguistic approach.
Operatic creatives require an excellent command of the main operatic languages, especially Italian, to reach their full potential. In my role as Lyric Diction Coach, I empower long-term artistic independence by teaching an efficient methodology and set of techniques, specific to the Italian language, that deepen interpretation and promote authentic performance.
Italian lyric diction is underpinned by the 7 Italian pure vowel formats (tecnica vocalica). A mastery of these 7 vowel formats and their position in every note of a singer’s registration (tessitura) will ensure efficient, effortless and beautiful legato singing. This course, combining small group lectures and private consultation, offers insight into the intensive linguistic study required to prepare music thoroughly. It will support participants in transitioning from declamatory to sung textual expression and help resolve technical glitches and/or misunderstandings from a linguistic approach.
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Virtual Italian Lyric Diction Masterclass
€ 299
- 1:1 goal-setting session
- 5 Group lectures
- WhatsApp Community Support
- Flexible session times
Payment plan available.
Italian & English Lyric Diction Coaching
I am Christiana Aloneftis – a trained opera singer with a Master’s degree in Linguistics and Interpreting/Translation Studies. My postgraduate studies as a singer and linguist and my varied work experience across Europe and Australia have equipped me to teach with the latest, innovative intercultural and pedagogical approaches.
The fusion of language and music is something that is very close to my heart. My active professional life, both as a young opera singer and as a linguist, renders my coaching all the more relevant and effective. I recognise the importance of accurate lyric diction in my specialist languages and its undeniable connection to effortless, effective and beautiful singing. This is why I coach lyric diction – Coaching FROM the industry FOR the industry.
What is Lyric Diction?
Lyric Diction is the mastering of a language in its sung form – It is, essentially, the rendition of words in singing, paying particular attention to pronunciation, enunciation, linguistic prosody and expression. These elements are interdependent and combine to render an authentic sung interpretation of the libretto or sung text in question.
Pronunciation is the appropriate choice of speech element whilst enunciation deals with how these sounds are produced, vocally.
Prosody is the study of the patterns of stress, intonation and rhythm in a language and is vital in achieving native speaker flow. These key elements ensure a profound reading and interpretation of the text which is the most useful vessel of character portrayal, second only to the composer’s music. A sound knowledge, study and acquisition of lyric diction is necessary for all aspiring and experienced singers, regardless of cultural or linguistic background, planning or already engaged in a career.
Lyric Diction and a solid knowledge of its principles supports the important work of répétiteurs, stage directors, dramaturgists and other creatives working with singers.
Reviews
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TIMON OF ATHENS – LUCA FRANCESCONI
World Premiere: 29 November 2020
Musikalische Leitung / Conductor: Kent Nagano
Inszenierungs / Production: Andreas Kriegenburg
Based on the Shakespearian play with Toby Spence in the title role
THE SNOW QUEEN – HANS ABRAHAMSEN
World Premiere: 21 December 2019
Musikalische Leitung / Conductor: Leo Hussain
Inszenierungs / Production: Andreas Kriegenburg
Based on the fairytale by Hans Christian Andersen
About me
Aside from her flourishing performance career, Christiana Aloneftis is fast-establishing herself, internationally, as a highly sought-after Lyric Diction Coach for beginner to advanced Italian & English; intermediate German and French. Her current professional experience as an opera singer, combined with her continued professional training and interest in the fusion of word and music, ensure that her techniques and method are the most practical, accessible and efficient “complementary tuning” for opera singers today.
The young coach has a keen interest in voice rehabilitation, Stimmfachwechsel, psychosomatic well-being, functional voice mechanics and the connection to language and the Italian Bel Canto tradition. Her offering is unique and, while complementary to that of a voice technician; empowers long-term artistic independence, confidence and mastery in those individuals she has the privilege of working with.
Christiana Aloneftis holds double-postgraduate qualifications from both Monash University (Master of Interpreting & Translation Studies) and the École Normale de Musique Alfred Cortot Paris, where she studied on full-scholarship. She completed her undergraduate studies at The University of Melbourne, graduating with a Bachelor of Music (Performance) and a Diploma of Languages (Advanced Italian). She has worked as a freelance professionally-accredited interpreter, translator and linguist; primarily in business and music across central Europe, the US and Australia.
Noticed for her 5-language fluency and coaching talent, the young creative first collaborated in 2019 with the Bayerische Staatsoper Chorus in their linguistic preparation for Hans Abrahamsen’s acclaimed international premiere of the Snow Queen in English, featuring Barbara Hannigan among other fine singers. She was invited to curate the language for the premiere of Luca Francesconi’s Timon in Athens in the new 2020/2021 season at the Bayerische Staatsoper which was, unfortunately, cancelled due to the pandemic.
Christiana Aloneftis has completed internships in the niche field of lyric diction at both Opera Australia and, most recently, at the Bayerische Staatsoper (2020/2021). The latter under the guidance of Dr. Chiara Gerini, an experienced Italian lyric diction coach in the German-speaking theatre world. Gerini has worked on a myriad productions of at the Bayerische Staatsoper, Salzburg Landestheater, the Mozarteum Salzburg International Summer Academy and the Young Singers’ Project at the Salzburg Festival. She is now a most valued mentor and colleague to Christiana:
“I recognise Christiana Aloneftis to be a very talented and ambitious artist and lyric diction coach. She is committed to serving the arts with all her remarkable qualities, including her five-language fluency.” – Dr. C. Gerini
Additionally, Christiana was honoured with the 2021 CHASS Prize for Distinctive Work from the Council for Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences Australia for her “excellent and diverse contributions to the arts, as a performer and coach”. She works on project contract at theatres, tertiary educational institutions, as a guest lecturer, and in collaboration with rostered singers at select artistic agencies. She is available for private coaching and has worked with many emerging artists and established professionals from the Bayerische Staatsoper, Semperoper Dresden, Saarländisches Staatstheater, Oldenburger Staatstheater, Opera Australia, Victorian Opera, West Australian Opera, Opera Scholars Australia, Melbourne Opera, Mozarteum Salzburg, Berlin Opera Academy, just to name a few.
