Margo Arsane
French diction coach
Diction is the secret ingredient that makes music and lyrics come alive for the audience, and gets the emotion across so clearly.
Drawing from years of experience as a linguist and a professional opera singer, I have come up with a tried and tested method to achieve great French diction’ efficient, healthy and crystal-clear for singing as well as for spoken dialogues.
What I offer
Private coaching
I offer face-to-face or online coaching, with or without a pianist, to dive deep into French repertoire and tailor sessions to the singer’s linguistic needs, from pronunciation and phonology to style and phrasing.
IPA and spoken text recordings
In a package comprising of an IPA transcription, and two recordings of the text – one slow, one at conversational speed – singers get a solid tool to practice the pronunciation precisely and integrate the natural rhythm of the language.
Translation
I provide various types of translations of any aria, song, song cycle or full opera libretto:
– word-for-word + dynamic translations for precise understanding and nuance.
– singable translations from French to English and vice versa.
Supertitles
As a French native and a professional opera performer, I am able to create supertitles for full operas, paying close attention the meaning of the original text whilst adapting it to the production’s nuanced artistic vision and the context.
Review
Kezia Bienek, mezzo-soprano
Margo has been such a find this past year. She has translated, phoneticised and coached both song and opera (some very random and tricky!) for me; she works efficiently with a clear and organised method, which makes learning words so much easier.
There's always a quick turnaround in getting things back to me and she's been on call for questions, including poetic interpretation and exploration.
I don't hesitate in recommending her, she's an invaluable part of my music learning/making team.
Shenghzi Ren, Tenor
Margo worked with me for many hours, helping me learn a role from an obscure Massenet opera. Not only did she patiently and carefully improve my French pronunciation, she provided a word for word translation, and really helped me better understand the feelings of the character.
As a first language Chinese speaker, these sessions with Margo were invaluable, and transformed my confidence in both rehearsals and performances.
Arthur Bruce, Baritone
I contacted Margo for some last-minute French coaching before a hastily organised song recital. The set of songs by Andre Caplet were difficult and the poetry by Remy de Gourmont was quite dense. Margo really helped put me at ease and gave me a big confidence boost in my French pronunciation.
The session was very thorough but not at all stressful, and Margo was super flexible when it came to scheduling.
Given the short timeframe, Margo went above and beyond and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend her.
Lauren Lodge-Campbell, Soprano
Margo is a fantastic French coach.
She is a singer herself so she understands exactly what a singer needs to improve their French.
She has a well-rounded approach so will tailor her coachings to whatever is needed, whether that be working on vowels, memorisation, style.
I really enjoy working with Margo and would recommend her to anyone looking to work on French diction!