HÄNDEL, George Frideric
Messiah HWV 56
“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion”
Joyce DiDonato, guest professor
Carla Isabel Gómez, student
Natalia Kuchaeva, accompanying pianist
For the professor, it is an oratorio whose character is not complicated, but perhaps the most complex thing is to repeat the same text so many times without it sounding repetitive. She asks the student how she approaches it, and DiDonato explains the context to consider when singing it: it is like an angel who enters in the name of joy and peace, everything is fine in her presence, and even if she hears “buts” and sad things from others, when singing she has the mission of constantly reminding them that they must be joyful. The professor asks her to start the aria again to think about transmitting this message, not acting but face to face, looking into the eyes and expressing it naturally. Imagination is a great tool for a singer, it is important to use it constantly to reach the public.
Moving on to technical issues, DiDonato recommends thinking of a single long phrase of four bars, not four separate phrases. Then she asks the student how she works on the coloratura and they dedicate themselves to doing it together, with the professor adding certain tips to apply to make it easier. They also review the pronunciation of certain words.
Language: English
