TCHAIKOVSKY, Pyotr Il'yich

Pikovaya dama (The queen of spades) op. 68

"Da Vspomnila... Podrugi milie" (Pauline's Romance)

Tom Krause, professor

Katarzyna Januszczyk, student

Madalit Lamazares, accompanying pianist

In this masterclass, they talk about the plot of this opera briefly. Regarding the student’s performance, prof. Krause points out that it is not convenient to form the "a" inside and he asks her for a deep breathing, singing free and easy, without tension in her face.
The professor also suggests her to place the voice up, and the vowel must be free. After that, there is a part more personal and intimate which has to be sung in piano.
About the high note, the professor gives some recommendations on how to prepare it better. They review together the pronunciation of several consonants and vowels in the text, particularly the "l". The voice needs to come from above, without pushing it down or touching the throat. To the correct pronunciation of the Russian "l", it is necessary a very loose and lazy tongue.
Finally, Krause encourages the student with a comment about her improvement in the concentration of the sound and the power of her voice.

Language: English