> I'm currently working on the ornamentation in "Se Florindo e fedele,"
> (from
> the Alfred "big 26" edition), and it's really helped to think of
> darkening
> the vowels on the higher notes, particularly on the repeated E
> flat-F-G's. I
> am curious as to how one should approach darkening the long "e," as
> there's
> a whompin' lot of them! Would it be something closer to an open E, or
> something else?
Hi Rachel,
As an exercise, try singing it all on OH but open your mouth a bit more
as you ascend. Also try OOH the same way. For me it is as if it is
coming out of the forehead between the eyes. Then you can put the /e/
vowel in the same space as the /o/. I think E could "spread" if you're
not careful. It feels/sounds "slender." The /i/ vowel and /e/ vowel
can be fun up on F, F# and G if you sing them but don't push on them or
tense up, and give more space.
I also tend to cheat and just change the vowel to something else... like
in Depuis le jour I sing "je crois revoooer" with an /o/ on the high A,
changing to the correct vowel on the way down during the portamento to
the E natural. A coach told me the ear remembers the last vowel it
hears. When you hear recordings, you can hear this type of vowel mixing
all the time.
Enjoy Se Florindo... what a fun piece! I still love singing all of the
"Dirty Double Dozen Ditties." My favorites are "Sebben, crudele" and
"Se tu m'ami" as well as "Caro, mio ben" and "Vittoria, mio core."
Gina
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