The Trinidadian singer Jeanine de Bique has been receiving critical heat in Paris over her French diction as Telaire in Rameau’s Castor et Pollux at the Opéra.
She’s not going to take that. Here’s Jeanine’s response:
Dear native speaker,
For those of you who are not vocal diction coaches in opera or actually not part of my team I kindly request that you fundamentally hold your unsolicited direct or indirect comments to me about diction.
For the nationalists in opera who prefer to see your nationality/ race represented on stage because somehow the opera defines your very existence as a people, I thank your ancestors for colonizing the rest of the world and spreading classical music.
We gave you spices so deal!
Sincerely Yours
Me