Inhalare la voce – inquiries
I received the following email: “My name is Chris Tondreau. I came across your website as a result of Googling ‘inhaling the voice’.
I studied the Bel Canto technique for ten years with a man named Edward L. Johnson, who was a tenor with the Metropolitan Opera many years ago. The key thing that separates what he taught and described as ‘the true Bel Canto’ technique from all the others who claim to be Bel Canto is the whole idea of the inhalation of the voice. I understand and use this aspect of the technique, and it is very, very difficult to find others who know about this as well.
Part of my goal for establishing that website was to connect with people who use this technique – not just any watered-down version of Bel Canto, but as it involves Lamperti’s advice of ‘sing as if continuing to inhale breath’. This really seems to be a dying technique, but has worked miracles for myself and others whom I know. Could you please tell me a little bit about how you came to learn this ‘inhaling the voice’ and perhaps who you learned it from? Do you call it ‘Bel Canto’ or has it been re-badged and re-worked as something else? Does it sound like what I describe at www.thebelcantotechnique.com? Can you put me in touch with anyone that you might know who uses or teaches the inhalation of the voice?”
Dear Mr. Tondreau,
I visited your “bel canto” website. It is absolutely great!
Your questions:
Do you call it ‘bel canto’ or has it been re-badged and re-worked as something else?
I want to emphasize that this technique is NOT JUST for “bel canto” singers (for example, Bellini). As you mentioned, you also teach pop singers, I myself, am a “hoch-dramatic” singer of Wagner and Richard Strauss repertoire. As you mentioned, I have a very long singing life and have never had any vocal cord problems. Mind you, I sing the heaviest of the heavy roles: Brünnhilde, Isolde, Elektra, etc. This technique also increased the size of my voice without having to use force.
Lamperti was more concerned with the bel canto repertoire because it was the repertoire of his time.
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