Do opera singers of different ethnicities have to learn italian?

Question:I wondered this question when I was listening to Madame Butterfly. Any source of info I can read about a soprano's training curriculum such as study of different languages because I'm intrigued. Thank you.

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: I wondered this question when I was listening to Madame Butterfly. Any source of info I can read about a soprano's training curriculum such as study of different languages because I'm intrigued. Thank you.

Singers study at least three to five languages to the proficiency level of two years of college instruction. They also take DICTION classes in various other languages. The also learn the IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) which allows them (and actors) to write out any possible sound or dialect they might encounter. Sometimes a singer does not HAVE good diction - English choirs are known for great pure tone, but poor diction; the Italian singer Enzio Pinza was cast in South Pacific, and learned his role phonetically - we still crack up over him singing "sommay charday deefnay" for Some Enchanted Evening. I have heard Met broadcasts where it takes me *longer than it should* to identify what the heck they are singing - I recognize the work but eh language skills are so bad, I am confused! My German teacher in college maintained that she ( a native speaker) could go around our University class, and spot the music students - singers or not - because we SOUNDED good, even if we had poor grammar. She was seldom wrong! It's all about listening!

Gonna hear Peter Grimes at the Met next week - I still have the old Peter Pears recoding in my head - should be great!

Yes they do.....I know that I wouldn't want to hear the Italian love songs sung in English !!!!!!!!!

not the entire language, just the songs

Conservatory training requires language studies

x

they absolutely have to learn how to sing it!
i don't know about learning how to speak it (like grammar and stuff) but they definitely need to learn how to sing it. just like americans or british or other english speaking nations would. to other countries, WE'RE of different ethnicities, so they may even be wondering the same thing about us.

i love singing in italian! it's a beautiful language!

Lily

A professional opera singer will normally have complete control of at least 5 languages, English, Italian, German, French, and Russian. And for the most part, they'll be able to speak those languages enough to survive there for a while. Remember, they memorizes hours of music in all those languages and it's much easier to memorize what you understand than what you don't. Along with this though, they'll also be able to sing in a few other languages, though with more difficulty.