TESTIMONIALS
Rehearsal room — Royal Danish Opera
“The soloists were thrilled by your non-negotiable professionalism and calm energy.”
Orsi Fajger
Head of Music, Royal Danish Opera
***
“Hervé brings a relaxed and flexible approach to his work, with a warm, singer-friendly demeanour. I particularly value the different approaches he finds to French diction, always adapting his coaching to the individual singer and the demands of the music.”
Thomas Bagwell
Music Staff, Royal Danish Opera
Juliana Zara — Dialogues des Carmélites — Royal Danish Opera
“Our work together on Dialogues of the Carmélites helped me bring so much idiomatic nuance to my character. Hervé has a wonderful ear and a kind heart — you feel like every moment is used well and your voice is welcomed.
He unites music, character, language and poetry with helpful suggestions and ideas. We shaped the role together, making choices about language and emphasis while considering its context.
Hervé is my new go-to French coach and I recommend him wholeheartedly.”
Elisabeth Jansson — Carmen — Royal Danish Opera
“Working with Hervé is a pleasure. He is very clear with the corrections of the French language and manages to get the result without interfering with the artistic process going on in the room. I can warmly recommend him.”
Elisabeth Jansson
Mezzo-Soprano
French Coaching Masterclass
“Working with Hervé is the perfect mix of language/text and interpretation that I want in a vocal coach. He is encouraging, supportive and pushes you to think outside the box while not going too far that things feel too uncomfortable. He has an appreciation of the complex task that singers have to juggle, and that sensitivity makes him very enjoyable to work with.”
Owain Gwynfryn
Baritone
Julia Mintzer — Carmen — Welsh National Opera
“I really relished working with Hervé on Carmen at Welsh National Opera. His experience as an actor and singer meant he could really tell me how to use the accurate pronunciation to support the drama. I'd love to be coached by him any time!”
Julia Mintzer
Mezzo-Soprano
French diction masterclass — Estudio de Ópera de Mérida
“Professor Hervé Goffings has left an indelible mark on the vocal community in Mérida through his specialised coaching in the French repertoire. With a mastery of the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), he provided singers with a rigorous technical foundation, ensuring both linguistic accuracy and stylistic authenticity. His workshops combined meticulous phonetic analysis with a deep understanding of text and emotions of the characters, elevating the interpretive standards of the local singers. Thank you for these wonderful days of learning.”
Andrea Gutiérrez Gonzales
Director, Estudio de Ópera de Mérida — Mexico
Elin Pritchard— Micaëla, Carmen — Welsh National Opera
“Hervé was incredibly supportive, patient and enthusiastic when we worked together. His detailed work on consonants, vowels and the tone of the French language took my French pronunciation to a higher level. He is calm and extremely patient, which then made me feel safe when attempting to improve my diction. Every single rehearsal he attended he helped in numerous ways and went above and beyond what a language coach normally does. Hervé's knowledge of the character, music and language helped me reach a higher standard with my spoken and sung French and gave me the confidence to strive for the best.”
Elin Pritchard
Soprano
French diction and pronunciation coaching
Hervé has been my French language coach for over 15 years. He has helped me on many different projects including opera (Bizet, Delibes), French song (Poulenc, Debussy, Fauré) and cabaret (Édith Piaf). His vast knowledge of vocal repertoire, attention to detail and commitment to my success is a constant source of reassurance and confidence.”
Rachael Russell
Soprano