- Why this site ?
- A great Maestro
- Like this they sang
- WHY THIS TITLE
- Mario del Monaco
The purpose of this site is to make the wonderful Italian singing method known to opera singers, whether they be professionals or amateurs, as well as to students of opera singing and teachers who would wish to better dominate it.
It is the reason why I shall often use the words "Opera", of course, but also "Tradition" and "Italian traditional method".
It is also intended for all those who attend opera houses, in order to enable them to differenciate, as far as vocal emission is concerned, between a good singer and a lesser one.
The method does not aim to be compared with others or to criticize them.
However, I think it is out of the question to throw doubts on the value of this ancestral method which was built gradually and transmitted by word of mouth, because it has allowed so many superb artists, for many decades, to pursue a career world wide.
No matter their nationality provided that they were formed at the Italian school.
I also sincerely want to thank all those who will do me the kindness to consider the contents of this site with interest, not only the literary part but also all the iconography which illustrates it.
I also want to pay homage to this marvellous country, Italy, and to thank it for having offered us such an incredible wealth of artistics talents.
Now, one word about the United States of America, in order to congratulate and thank this great nation for welcoming so many artists and building famous Opera Houses.
I thus suggest to all the readers not to hesitate to contact me for any piece of information they would consider useful to have, and present to me all constructive suggestions about Lyric Arts.
The stage of LA SCALA in 1830
With the origin of any knowledge there is a teacher or a professor.
The one I owe the whole of my knowledge to was a great Maestro : Clemente GUEARTI (1892-1959).
Between 1950 and the end of 1959, during ten years, daily, I learnt opera singing and its teaching, two activities which do not necessarily go hand in hand.
In Italy and France, he formed prestigious artists who all had an international career.
His titles are laudatory :
- First heroic tenor of opera
- Ex-professor of singing in the academy in Milan, class of installation and vocal improvement
- Prize winner in Italy of the competitive examination of the Masters of voice installation
- Officer of Academy
- Member of the Operatic an Dramatic artists of Spain
- Member owner of the Circle of the Operatic singers of Madrid.
After his premature disappearance I collaborated, on the teaching level, two years with his wife, who had also be trained to teach the method.
I am very grateful to him and today happy to be able to transmit in my turn this technique, according to the promise made at the time, and thus contribute to the revival of the Lyric art.
It is my dearest wish, in spite of all the obstacles placed on my way !
This is the title of my book, published in 2001 for the centenary of great VERDI's death, in preparation of the singing lessons to come, in order to help pupils who trust me.
Paule GUEARTI, my teacher's daughter, whom I contact again after 40 years, signed a dedication to the book.
Mrs Claudia LARMANDE, a great pianist who was my accompanist, wrote another, while the book is also prefaced by Mr Jacques POTTIER, who has been teaching the Italian technique at the school of Music of the University of Melbourne, Australia, for a few years now.
He formerly got a first prize in singing from the Higher National Academy of Music of Paris (CNSM) and was first tenor at the Opera de Paris during 10 years.
In addition he was made chevalier of the Order of Arts et Lettres, amd member of the Prefessional Union of the Masters of French singing.
This book available on simple request to me at the price of 29 euros + delivery.
Today I have just created the "Institute of Italian Lyrical Formation" with the aim to form, with this great method, motivated singers, and only them, at a highest level.
Address :
Mr YAECHE Roger
4 Sente des Bulins
F76130 Mont-Aignan, on the heights of Rouen.
Appointment in the contact page.
I will be very happy to answer to anyone who wishes to ask me questions, by mail, telephone or e.mail.
I also invite you to come to dialogue personally, to attend a course if you wish it.
The teaching provided resumes the basic work of the placement of the voice, respecting word for word, with a great rigour, the data learned close to my Master.
The secrets of this method will be revealed in the following pages.
The great tenor Jacques POTTIER of whom I am very proud to be the friend.
The preterite is voluntarily used, undoubtedly letting people think that what was true yesterday should only be a cherished memory today !
But how is it possible to define Lyric Art, nowadays ?
Must we feel nostalgic toward the past, however recent ?
The last 30 years greatly transformed our ways of life, like our tastes and all the techniques which make our everyday life.
In the decades to come, thank to its progress, science will make it possible for men to be freed from some of their limits.
Consequently, must the past be deleted from our memories, must we forget these rich years of teaching which constitute our inheritance ?
Opera is not exception to this rule and one could believe that the years to come must lead us to a better opening ?
But this is not the case !
Opera, on the technical level, is first and foremost a tradition, an oral transmission of a knowledge which was born several centuries ago, extending the framework of fashion and time.
And that is where the shoe pinches ! Because we allowed a solution of continuity to settle...
Listen to : "ESULTATE", the entrance of OTELLO from Verdi, sung by Mario del Monaco.
At the bottom of each page I intend to very briefly present one or two artists most representative of the Italian school, with an aim of being able to hear them singing.
I start here with Mario del Monaco.
Born on 27 July 1915 in Florence, deceased of a renal disease in 1982 at the age of 67.
He began on March 20, 1940 in Cavalleria Rusticana from Mascagni but made a second beginning after the war, in 1946, in Aida, in the Arena of Vérona.
His career lasted 30 years until his retirement in 1975.
He was in my eyes the Prince of tenors, equipped with a strong and hot voice with a warm and bright timbre.
A pure example of the Italian school of singing !
To speak about Mario, better than anyone can do, I ask you to visit the site of my friend François Nouvion, specialist of the voice of ténors.
Please click here