VERDI, Giuseppe
La forza del destino (The Force of Destiny)
“Pace, pace, mio Dio”
Joyce DiDonato, guest professor
Marlin González Zúñiga, student
Laïla Barnat, accompanist pianist
After the student sings the aria, the teacher asks her about the repertoire she is singing, her studies… She liked her stage presence and posture, but advises her that, given what the character and the aria convey, she should express more doubt and confusion—not inwardly, nor so flat. For the long notes, DiDonato suggests shaping the phrasing more, not starting them as if they were already finished.
The teacher considers that what she most needs to work on is the middle register of the voice, and for this she suggests an exercise in which she speaks legato and expressively rather than singing.
They resume from the beginning of the aria, and DiDonato points out the phrasing and guides the voice with gestures. She also highlights certain consonants in the text that she can emphasize, as well as vocal placement and body expression that will best help her sing the aria and convey the emotion it requires.
For the teacher, there are sections that, because of the text and character, call for much stricter rhythm and not doing rubati.
Language: Spanish – English
