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From:  "Alain Zürcher" <az@c...>
Date:  Mon Apr 10, 2000  2:58 pm
Subject:  Re: [vocalist-temporary] speaking of Italian diction - é and è


While we are at Italian diction, ther is another point that bothers me: the
accent on final vowels such as in "perché" or "perchè".

First, I would assume that "é" should be sung closed and "è" open.

But then, the problem arises of the evolution of the language: in most opera
libretti, we find the "è" version, while most modern dictionaries give the
"é" version.

Therefore, is it better to stick to the spelling (hence the diction) of the
original libretto, or to modernize it?

Italian singers seem to favour the often easier open /E/.

| Alain Zürcher, Paris, France
| L'Atelier du Chanteur :
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