Tosca Chorus, First Rehearsal!!

I am very excited to begin rehearsals for the Tosca chorus at Fresno Grand Opera tonight!

Tosca is sublime, amazing, superlative... so many adjectives but others have phrased it better than I so here is a link to catch a summary...

Metropolitan Opera Tosca Synopsis

The first thing I like to rehearse in an opera chorus is diction.  Habits are formed very quickly when linked to music and because of the way our brains work it is very difficult to "fix it later."

With that in mind, I have recorded diction for the chorus parts, adults and children, downloadable on Dropbox. 

Tosca Diction Folder

As you practice, here are two things to always remember for perfect (i.e. we don't want to sound American!) Italian details! 
1) Dentalized consonants
2) No diphthongs

Not sure what those mean?  Here is a recording of explanation and samples... only about 3 minutes long, a great way to jump-start your soon-to-be amazing Italian! 

Italian Diction Jump-Start Guidelines


Also of interest...
Translation for the 1st piece:  (Burton D. Fischer)

T O S C A

Allievi

(colla massima confusioae)

Dove?

Sagrestano

In Sagrestia. (spinge alcuni chierici)

Alcuni Allievi

Ma che awenne?

Sagrestano

Nol sapete?

Bonaparte... scellerato...

Bonaparte...

Altri Allievi

Ebben? Che fu?

Sagrestano

Fu spennato, sfracellato

e piombato a Belzebu !

Allievi, Cantori, ecc.

Chi lo dice ?

fe sogno!

fe fola!

Sagrestano

fe verldica parola

or ne giunse la notizia !

E questa sera

gran fiaccolata

veglia di gala a Palazzo Farnese,

ed tm'apposita

nuova cantata

con Floria Tosca!

E nelle chiese

inni al Signore !

Presto a vestirvi,

non piu clamore!

Tntti

(ridendo e gridando gioiosamente)

Doppio soldo*., Te Deum... Gloria!

Viva il Re!.,. Si festeggi la vittoria!

- 19 -

T O S C A

All

Whither?

Sacristan

This way, good people...

(pushing them towards the Sacristy)

All

What happened?

Sacristan

Don't you know? Buonaparte...

the miscreant... Buonaparte...

All

Well, what of him?

Sacristan

Beaten, crushed, humiliated;

Satan has him on the hip!

All

Who can prove it? What silly nonsense!

Sacristan

'Tis the truth, I do assure ye !

Soon the news will be made public.

All

'Twill be hailed with loud rejoicing!

Sacristan

This very evening there will be great doings,

Gala performance and torchlight procession,

Also an apposite brand-new cantata

Sung by the Floria with appropriate expression.

You singing boys

Put on your vestments, make no more noise.

Off ! off, without delay !

All

(They burst out laughing and pay no attention to the Sacristan, who tries in vain to drive

them into the sacristy)

Double wages ! Te Deum, gloria !

Long live the King!

This very evening there will be great doings,

gala performance, torchlight procession,

a brand-new cantata sung by Tosca.

Long live the King!

Yes, this evening there will be great do ...

(enter Scarpia unexpectedly, he stands in the doorway; seeing him, all are stricken dumb

and motionless, as though spell-bound)

Translation for Act 2 Piece:  (A. Sciaronne)