How To Learn Recit (and Not Hate It)

[@359339]

Always enjoy seeing someone passionately explain things... even if I don't do opera

[@Eliminator5120]

Oh I'm so looking forward to the "how to learn a role" video! This one was a lifesaver 🙏

[@odangoatama98]

You’re so real for the accessibility part. A lot of people seem to insist that there’s only one way to do something and if you can’t figure it out that one way then you aren’t valid. All of us have different needs and i think at the end of the day if it gets you to where you need to be it’s fine.

[@carewiebe]

Hi Robin, I'm not an opera singer, but I am a professional You Tube watcher! Your lighting, sound and pace was great! I was engaged from start to finish. No dead space, you were 💯 focused on us, your viewers. Your editing was 👍. At one point I thought the background music was getting distracting but you caught it and pulled it back, well done. Bravo Robin, you're a You Tuber💕.

[@robinhahnsopran]

Thank you so much! I had so much fun making it! 💗

[@BaronChenCountertenor]

this is so helpful, tysm for sharing your amazing process of learning recitativi!!! im gonna start my first opera role in 2 weeks and still haven't remember all of em :(

[@colonelsho]

You made this so engaging even for a layperson like me who only has a passing interest in opera. I can see why you’re such a successful coach. And it is suuuuper obvious that this is something you love. Also, from an editing perspective, this is so polished and you come across so natural. You make KZbin look easy, it’s effortless for you, but holy heck I can tell a whole lot of prep and thought went into this. I’m in awe.

[@MichelleDiamondPhoto]

Robin! Much, much respect for this video! I am LOVING your channel 💕💕 You know me, as proud owner of eight "Nicos" I love languages and learning new roles. One recit trick I remember from back at UBC, while learning Mozart's Susanna, for example, I would put on cue-cards all the starting lines of my character's recits. Every recit. SECTION had it's own card. It kept things very organized in my mind. Per act, I could wrap my head around how many times I had to sing recits. For example, one of the longest recit exchanges I would write on the card : 1.Or bene, ascolta, e taci! 2. Il Signor Conte, stanco... 3. Della tua Susannetta. 4. Di me medesma... 5. Queste le grazie son... 6. Chetati: or viene il meglio... 7. E tu credevi che fosse... 8. Ei la destina, per... 9. Ebben; ora è petito... 10. Addio addio, Fi-fi-figaro... 11. E tu cervello.... (Anytime I stopped talking and then started again would be a new #/line). There may be a recit. section for which Susanna had just a single line but had to stay on stage so then I could see in stark contrast - that "one line" to deliver. Eventually I'd prime myself with the line which came right before this # line. I wish I'd kept these cards for all the roles I studied. I'd keep in my pocket at ALL times and look at them CONSTANTLY throughout the day. On the bus, in line-ups, while walking to class (basically like how much we check our phones now a days)... all the time. I also differ in another technique, Robin, in that I would ONLY write in the words I was VERY unfamiliar with in my scores, to keep it cleaner for my eyes and never in pen. Oh my!! I would not write in direct articles or words that I knew cold. If I really didn't know a sentence or word I would write it in pencil above until it was second nature and then I'd erase it after seeing it over and over and over. If a word came up that I thought I knew, but KEPT forgetting the meaning, I would write it on the back page with a star and later refresh the meaning. Then I'd keep it in pencil above, until I knew it solid. The more I knew a score the cleaner it got. I always loved to write out my aria texts and translations in notebooks on repeat. Lastly, I was very particular about my highlighter colours... heavier, warmer roles like Donna Anna, Pamina, Mimi, Violetta, Adina and Countess etc were pink. Lighter and brighter roles in an opera were yellow like Susanna, Despina, Norina, Adele etc I sure miss this past life. Sigh. Back to photo editing (can you tell I'm procrastinating?)... thank you for the trip down memory line 😪

[@SewBiased]

Damn girl, that really is just everything! (Also, you're a way more diligent recit-learner/score marker than I am!)

[@robinhahnsopran]

Thank you! Tbh the best part is I feel like I probably spend the same amount of time learning the music as anyone who DOESN'T do this - I get so much learning done just by the score prep! xD

[@johnarsenault8402]

Well done! This conductor approves!

[@StadinBasso]

I love recitative. Once the tedious work is done, it's just having fun with your lines and your co-actors.

[@robinhahnsopran]

I totally agree! I may be a big opera nerd, but to be honest I think recit is my favourite part. :)

[@ReinaElizondo]

Wow, so much prep!

[@robinhahnsopran]

Yep! Still: I do end up with a finished product very, very quickly after all this! I'll swear up and down that this makes my piano time more efficent and therefore I actually get there MORE quickly - so for me, it's totally worth it! :)

[@christinameredithlewall2815]

Damn this made me miss the process and singing.. but gave me ideas for breaking down new scripts! Awesome video yo! 😍

[@MichelleDiamondPhoto]

Me too.

[@thetoycollectorofseville6428]

Do cats like opera? I'm an opera fan and also have a cat. I'm not a singer, I just love opera. Although, I'm working on writing my own opera.

[@janice8496]

I love this! You are brilliant!!!

[@janice8496]

I love you, but I can't believe how fast you speak!!

[@soylalilalilalula]

The good ol'scary scary recit... Thank you, nice take on the matter.

[@wachamcaulid]

I’m not an opera singer so this might be silly but would the process be easier if you can speak the language that the recitative is in(or it’s in your mother tongue)?

[@philipkuttner7945]

Of course! I believe every singer should learn conversational Italian before attempting to sing recits. Would you like to see an actoir who doesn't speak English in "The Importance of Being Earnest?

[@andrewdewade]

This is awesome!

[@elperroreggae]

What's your MBTI personality type? Other than an extrovert lol.

[@robinhahnsopran]

Haha, yes, definitely E! ENFP for me. :)

[@elperroreggae]

@@robinhahnsopran Oh I'm an ISTJ! I'm nothing like you I guess, but I find you the coolest. haha

[@robinhahnsopran]

@@elperroreggae Bahaha, thank you! Music lovers of any kind have something in common, even at totally opposite ends of spectrum! :)

[@UnDead483]

First! (It's Cam, please disregard my old gamer-tag lol)

[@heidiklassen6429]

Hey Robin, very well done! Of course I know you to be exactly that well prepared brilliant singer! Hope you don't mind if I add to your impressive prep list a few more of my experiences as a veteran. I would a) pencil out the added notes in the vocal line that correlate with the English text didn'tdictionary