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 : | http://chanteur.net
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