Author Archives: Deborah Wai Kapohe

The Happy Surprise breath is described by Lucie Manen in her book ‘The Art of Singing’. It was used by Lilli Lehmann. The breath is inaudible and sets you up beautifully for a clean onset.

Below is a link to Lilli Lehmann’s recordings and an audio book of her book ‘How to Sing’ on Spotify. Lilli Lehmann recorded when she was about fifty eight years old. I welcome you to listen to her singing and reflect on the wisdom of her teachings.

…the standard of singing is lower than it was, both upon the operatic stage and in the concert room. The voices of contemporary singers do not compare for beauty with those of the past; nor does their technical training, save in the rarest instances, nearly approach the same height of perfection. Herman Klein, Essays onContinue reading “The standard of today’s singing”

The principles of the vocal art, as I shall here describe them, are classified under the following heads: Breathing Adjustment and Attack Vowel Formation Resonance Management of Registers Enunciation Phrasing Tone-Colour and Expression Herman Klein, Phono-Vocal Method, page 9. This post addressed the question: what sort of training do classical singers need? Above is aContinue reading “What sort of training do classical singers need?”

This post marks the beginning of three years of study to refresh my voice and prepare myself to teach singing responsibly. I have called these three years, 2020 -2023, ‘The Lilli Lehmann Project’. The Lilli Lehmann Project will use Lilli Lehmann’s book ‘How to Sing’, as well as her other writings, reviews of her singingContinue reading “Lilli Lehmann's 'How to Sing' (Meine Gesangskunst)”