Hervé

Actor

 French Coaching News

 

2026

SEPTEMBER

Production of Massenet’s Werther at the Royal Danish Opera in Copenhagen, where Hervé Goffings worked as French language coach in 2026.

WERTHER — ROYAL DANISH OPERA

French language coaching for Massenet’s Werther at the Royal Danish Opera in Copenhagen. Following my work with the company on Carmen and Dialogues des Carmélites, I’m delighted to return for another French opera production.


JULY

Bizet’s Djamileh in the Jette Parker Artists Programme Summer Performances at the Royal Opera House, with French language coaching by Hervé Goffings.

DJAMILEH — JETTE PARKER ARTISTS PROGRAMME

French language coaching for an excerpt from Bizet’s Djamileh as part of the Jette Parker Artists Programme Summer Performances at the Royal Opera House. Working with the young artists on French diction, text and interpretation, bringing the language naturally into the music and performance.


MAY

Hervé Goffings coaching a singer in French repertoire at Morley Opera School in London.

MORLEY OPERA SCHOOL

French language coaching for excerpts from Massenet’s Cendrillon and Lili Boulanger’s Faust et Hélène at Morley Opera School in London. Working with the young singers on French diction, text and interpretation, helping them connect the language naturally to the music and dramatic context.


APRIL

Hervé Goffings, French language coach for opera and classical singers, at the Royal Academy of Music in London.

CONSERVATOIRE COACHING

French language coaching with singers at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, Guildhall School of Music & Drama and Royal Academy of Music. Working on French repertoire throughout the academic year, with a focus on diction, pronunciation, text and interpretation.


MARCH

Hervé Goffings coaching a singer during a French repertoire masterclass at Estudio de Ópera de Mérida in Mexico.

FRENCH REPERTOIRE MASTERCLASS — MÉRIDA

French repertoire masterclass at Estudio de Ópera de Mérida in Mexico, working with young singers on French diction and pronunciation, the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), text and interpretation. Exploring how the language can become a natural part of both the music and the dramatic expression.


FEBRUARY

Production of Offenbach’s Orphée aux enfers at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, with French language coaching by Hervé Goffings.

ORPHÉE AUX ENFERS — ROYAL BIRMINGHAM CONSERVATOIRE

French language coaching for Offenbach’s Orphée aux Enfers at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. Working with the cast throughout the rehearsal process on French diction, pronunciation, text and interpretation, helping the singers connect the language naturally to the music and the comic energy of the work.


january

Dialogues des Carmélites at the Royal Danish Opera in Copenhagen – French language coaching by Hervé Goffings

DIALOGUES DES CARMÉLITES — ROYAL DANISH OPERA

French language coaching for Poulenc’s Dialogues des Carmélites at the Royal Danish Opera in Copenhagen, in a production directed by Barrie Kosky. Working closely with the cast on French diction, text and interpretation throughout the rehearsal process, connecting the language with Poulenc’s music and the dramatic intensity of the work.


2025



SEPTEMBER & DECEMBER

Hervé Goffings outside the Royal Danish Opera in Copenhagen while working on Dialogues des Carmélites.

PREPARING DIALOGUES DES CARMÉLITES — ROYAL DANISH OPERA

French language coaching in preparation for Poulenc’s Dialogues des Carmélites at the Royal Danish Opera. Working with the soloists online and in Copenhagen on French diction, pronunciation, text and interpretation ahead of the 2026 production directed by Barrie Kosky.


AUGUST

Production of Campra’s Le Carnaval de Venise with Vache Baroque, featuring masked performers on stage.

LE CARNAVAL DE VENISE — VACHE BAROQUE

French language coaching for Campra’s Le Carnaval de Venise with Vache Baroque. Working with the singers on French diction, pronunciation, text and style, helping bring clarity and character to the language within the baroque repertoire.


JULY

Scene from Bizet’s Les Pêcheurs de perles during the Jette Parker Artists Programme Summer Performance at the Royal Opera House in 2025.

LES PÊCHEURS DE PERLES — JETTE PARKER SUMMER PERFORMANCE

French language coaching for excerpts from Bizet’s Les Pêcheurs de Perles as part of the Jette Parker Artists Programme Summer Performance at the Royal Opera House. Working with the young artists on French diction, text and interpretation, helping the language feel natural within the music and dramatic action.”


JUNE & JULY

Scene from Charpentier’s La Descente d’Orphée aux enfers with Vache Baroque, featuring performers in stylised costume and makeup.

LA DESCENTE D’ORPHÉE AUX ENFERS — VACHE BAROQUE

French language coaching for Charpentier’s La Descente d’Orphée aux enfers with Vache Baroque. Working with the singers on French diction, pronunciation, text and style, with particular attention to clarity, expression and the musical character of French baroque repertoire.


JUNE

Hervé Goffings with conductor Owain Park in a BBC Singers rehearsal room, holding scores of Poulenc’s Figure humaine in preparation for the Aldeburgh Festival.

FIGURE HUMAINE — BBC SINGERS

French language coaching for Poulenc’s Figure humaine with the BBC Singers, in preparation for a performance at the Aldeburgh Festival conducted by Owain Park. Working with the ensemble on French diction, pronunciation, text and expression, helping bring clarity and meaning to Poulenc’s setting of Éluard’s poetry.


MAY

PSALM 130 — BBC SYMPHONY CHORUS

French language coaching for Lili Boulanger’s Psalm 130 — Du fond de l’abîme with the BBC Symphony Chorus, performed at the Barbican Centre with the BBC Symphony Orchestra under conductor Dima Slobodeniouk. Working with the chorus on French diction, pronunciation and text in preparation for the concert.


CONSERVATOIRE COACHING

Regular French language coaching with singers at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, Guildhall School of Music & Drama and Morley College throughout 2025. Working across a wide range of French repertoire, with a focus on diction, pronunciation, text and interpretation.


JANUARY

Hervé Goffings with Jette Parker Artists Programme singers at the Royal Opera House in 2025.

JETTE PARKER ARTISTS PROGRAMME — ROYAL OPERA HOUSE

French language coaching with the Jette Parker Artists Programme at the Royal Opera House throughout 2025, working with the young artists on French diction, pronunciation, text and interpretation across a range of repertoire.


2024

JULY

Scene from Donizetti’s La Fille du régiment during the Jette Parker Artists Programme Summer Performance at the Royal Opera House in 2024.

LA FILLE DU RÉGIMENT — JETTE PARKER ARTISTS PROGRAMME

French language coaching for Donizetti’s La Fille du régiment as part of the Jette Parker Artists Programme Summer Performance at the Royal Opera House. Working with the young artists on French diction, pronunciation, text and interpretation, helping the language feel natural within the music and comic style of the work.


MAY

Hervé Goffings at the Royal Opera House holding a score of Bizet’s Carmen during the 2024 production.

CARMEN — ROYAL OPERA HOUSE

French language coaching for Bizet’s Carmen at the Royal Opera House. Working with the cast on French diction, pronunciation, text and interpretation throughout the rehearsal process, helping the singers connect the language naturally to the music and dramatic action.


APRIL

Hervé Goffings with the score of Poulenc’s Quatre petites prières de Saint François d’Assise during a BBC Singers rehearsal in 2024.

QUATRE PETITES PRIÈRES DE SAINT FRANÇOIS D’ASSISE — BBC SINGERS

French language coaching for Poulenc’s Quatre petites prières de Saint François d’Assise with the BBC Singers. Working with the ensemble on French diction, pronunciation, text and expression, with particular attention to clarity, phrasing and the spiritual character of Poulenc’s setting.


JANUARY

Scene from Offenbach’s Les Contes d’Hoffmann at the Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre in Vilnius, featuring Hoffmann and Olympia.

LES CONTES D’HOFFMANN — LITHUANIAN NATIONAL OPERA AND BALLET THEATRE

French language coaching for Offenbach’s Les Contes d’Hoffmann at the Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre in Vilnius. Working with the cast on French diction, pronunciation, text and interpretation throughout the rehearsal process, helping the singers connect the language naturally to the music and dramatic world of the opera.