Marie-France Lefebvre, a nationally renowned opera coach, visited the USM School of Music last week to give master classes.
“It’s such a cool opportunity to have her here,” said senior vocal performance major George Eisenhauer. “I wish I could have worked with her more.” Eisenhauer sang “L’Ombre des Arbres” from Debussy’s Ariettes Oubliees.
Lefebvre began with a session in piano technique, then gave sessions in language diction and voice coaching.
Singers performed various opera selections in front of an audience of fellow students and professors.
“It was really nerve-wracking,” said Mary Clark, a junior vocal performance major. Clark sang “Chacun le Sait” from G. Donzietti’s La Fille du Regiment.
Lefebvre is on the piano faculty of Michigan State University and worked last fall as a prompter for the Metropolitan Opera in New York City.
During the sessions she focused on details, because she knows it is the little things — a note held too long or the wrong vowel sound — that can change a piece.
“It’s like renovation at your house. You take things apart and eventually it looks the way you want,” she said.
How did our musicians do overall? “I think that the level is very impressive,” said Lefebvre. “They’re in great shape.”