The ability to deliver clear and expressive text is core to a singer’s skillset, but knowing what to focus on, phonetically, to improve sung Italian isn’t always obvious. 

This new online programme will help you achieve clearer and more idiomatic Italian lyric diction and avoid the most common mistakes singers make. It brings to life our popular article Seven mistakes singers make in Italian diction – and how to avoid them (for a free copy, just sign up here or if you're already a subscriber, just request your copy here).

Through high-quality video tutorials, guided vocalising exercises and test-your-knowledge quizzes, you can work at your own pace to improve your knowledge, skills and confidence in sung Italian. 

The programme is based on the Melofonetica Method™, a proven, research-led approach focusing on the phonetics of sung Italian, and taught by Melofonetica Founder and renowned Italian Coach, Matteo Dalle Fratte.

The full programme includes:

  • Five video tutorials (72 mins) packed full of expert guidance, tips and techniques covering:
    • Short vs. long consonants
    • Mastering stop consonants: length not strength
    • Understanding and applying the rules of coarticulation
    • Correctly articulating Italian t and when and how to roll the r
    • Correctly articulating sonorant and sibilant consonants including the Italian s

  • A toolkit of vocalising exercises delivered across five sessions (84 mins)
  • 25 test-your-knowledge quiz questions
  • Five downloadable slide packs including vocalising exercises
  • Downloadable guide to identifying long consonants in sung Italian


Programme fee: £85 (GBP), includes access to all course resources for 12 months from the date of purchase.

Course Curriculum

  • 1

    Short vs. long consonants in sung Italian

    • Tutorial: Short vs. long consonants in sung Italian

    • Vocalising exercises: Short vs. long consonants in sung Italian

    • Guide to identifying long consonants in sung Italian (downloadable)

    • Test your knowledge: Short vs. long consonants in sung Italian

    • Slides: Short vs. long consonants in sung Italian (downloadable)
  • 2

    Mastering long stop consonants: length not strength

    • Tutorial: Mastering long stop consonants: length not strength

    • Vocalising exercises: Mastering long stop consonants: length not strength

    • Test your knowledge: Mastering long stop consonants

    • Slides: Mastering long stop consonants: length not strength (downloadable)
  • 3

    Understanding and applying the rules of coarticulation

    • Tutorial: Understanding and applying the rules of coarticulation

    • Vocalising exercises: Understanding and applying the rules of coarticulation

    • Test your knowledge: Understanding and applying the rules of coarticulation

    • Slides: Understanding and applying the rules of coarticulation (downloadable)
  • 4

    Correctly articulating Italian t and rolling the r

    • Tutorial: Correctly articulating Italian t and rolling the r

    • Vocalising exercises: Correctly articulating Italian t and rolling the r

    • Test your knowledge: correctly articulating Italian t and rolling the r

    • Slides: Correctly articulating Italian t and rolling the r (downloadable)
  • 5

    Correctly articulating long sonorant and sibilant consonants including the Italian s

    • Tutorial: Correctly articulating long sonorant and sibilant consonants

    • Vocalising exercises: Correctly articulating long sonorant and sibilant consonants

    • Test your knowledge: Correctly articulating long sonorant and sibilant consonants

    • Slides: Correctly articulating long sonorant and sibilant consonants (downloadable)

About the instructor

Italian Language Coach and Founder of Melofonetica

Matteo Dalle Fratte

Dr. Matteo Dalle Fratte is an Italian tenor, musicologist and coach who studied singing in Italy with Paolo Badoer, a pupil of Gilda Dalla Rizza, Puccini’s favourite soprano. Since 2009, Matteo has conducted extensive research into the phonetics of sung Italian, including a research fellowship in Italian phonetics for opera at Guildhall School, London. In 2014, Matteo founded Melofonetica to provide training and resources for singers and other music professionals. As creator of the Melofonetica Method™, Matteo leads Melofonetica’s coaching activities. Matteo works as Italian Language Coach at the UK's leading conservatoires and young artist programmes including the Royal College of Music, Guildhall School, National Opera Studio, Royal Opera House, Royal Scottish Conservatoire, Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama and Royal Academy of Music. Matteo also coaches for the UK’s major opera companies and record labels including the Royal Opera House, Sir John Eliot Gardiner’s Monteverdi Choir & Orchestras, Opera North, Welsh National Opera, Grange Park Opera, Classical Opera, Nevill Holt Opera, Opera Rara, Universal Music, The English Consort, Arcangelo, La Nuova Musica, Raymond Gubbay and La Serenissima. Matteo achieved a Master’s Degree in Music as a tenor at Guildhall School, and a Laurea cum laude in Italian Literature and Musicology at the University of Padua, with a thesis on Gilda Dalla Rizza and Giacomo Puccini. Read more about Matteo in the Opera magazine feature: https://www.opera.co.uk/features/matteo-dalle-fratte/

What others say about our courses

An excellent opportunity to improve Italian diction

Matteo’s explanations and coaching are exceptional

I LOVED it!

Invaluable – improved my Italian and singing no end!

Read many more reviews on our website