In studying a new rôle I am in the habit of practicing in front of a
mirror in order to get an idea of the effect of a facial expression and
to see that it does not take away from the correct position of the
mouth.
The young singer should practice constantly in front of a mirror as soon
as she begins to sing songs or to express emotions in her music, for the
girl with the expressive face is likely to contort her mouth so that the
correct emission of tones is impossible.
The dramatic artist depends largely for her expression on the changing
lines of the mouth, chin and jaw, and in any lines spoken which denote
command or will you will see the actor's jaw setting and becoming rigid
with the rest of the facial mask.
Now, a singer can never allow the facial expression to alter the
position of the jaw or mouth. Facial expression for the singer must
concern itself chiefly with the eyes and forehead.
The mouth must remain the same, and the jaw must ever be relaxed,
whether the song is one of deep intensity or a merry scale of laughter.
The mouth in singing should always smile lightly. This slight smile at
once relaxes the lips, allowing them free play for the words which they
and the tongue must form and also gives the singer a slight sensation of
uplift necessary for singing.
It is impossible to sing well when mentally depressed or even physically
indisposed slightly. Unless one has complete control over the entire
vocal apparatus and unless one can simulate a smile one does not feel
the voice will lack some of its resonant quality, particularly in the
upper notes, where the smiling position of the mouth adjusts the throat
and air passages for the emission of light tones.
The lips are of the greatest aid in shaping and shading the tones.
Wagnerian singers, for instance, who employ trumpet-like notes in
certain passages are often seen shaping their lips like the mouthpiece
of a trumpet, with a somewhat square opening, the lips protruding.
However, this can be practiced only after perfect relaxation of the jaw
and control of the tongue have been accomplished.
A singer's mouth must always look pleasant, not only because it creates
a disagreeable impression on the audience to see a crooked and contorted
mouth, but also because natural and correct voice production requires a
mouth shaped almost into a smile.
Too wide a smile often accompanies what is called "the white voice."
This is a voice production where a head resonance alone is employed,
without sufficient of the apoggio or enough of the mouth resonance to
give the tone a vital quality. This "white voice" should be thoroughly
understood and is one of the many shades of tone a singer can use at
times, just as the impressionist uses various unusual colors to produce
certain atmospheric effects.
For instance, in the mad scene in "Lucia" the use of the "white voice"
suggests the babbling of the mad woman, as the same voice in the last
act of "Traviata" or in the last act of "Bohème" suggests utter physical
exhaustion and the approach of death.
An entire voice production on these colorless lines, however, would
always lack the brilliancy and the vitality which inspire enthusiasm.
One of the compensations of the "white voice" singer is the fact that
she usually possesses a perfect diction. The voice itself is thrust into
the head cavities and not allowed to vibrate in the face and mouth and
gives ample room for the formation of vowels and consonants. And the
singer with this voice production usually concentrates her entire
attention on diction.
The cure for this tone emission is, first of all, the cultivation of the
breath prop, then attacking the vowel sound o o in the medium voice,
which requires a low position of the larynx, and exercises on the
ascending scale until the higher notes have been brought down, as it
were, and gain some of the body and support of the lower notes without
losing their quality.
The singer's expression must concern itself chiefly with the play of
emotion around the eyes, eyebrows and forehead. You have no idea how
much expression you can get out of your eyebrows, for instance, until
you study the question and learn by experiment that a complete emotional
scale can be symbolized outwardly in the movements of the eyelids and
eyebrows.
A very drooping eyebrow is expressive of fatigue, either physical or
mental. This lowered eyelid is the aspect we see about us most of the
time, particularly on people past their first youth. As it shows a lack
of interest, it is not a favorite expression of actors and is only
employed where the rôle makes it necessary.
Increasing anxiety is depicted by slanting the eyebrows obliquely in a
downward line toward the nose.
Concentrated attention draws the eyebrows together over the bridge of
the nose, while furtiveness widens the space again without elevating the
eyebrows.
In the eyebrows alone you can depict mockery, every stage of anxiety or
pain, astonishment, ecstasy, terror, suffering, fury and admiration,
besides all the subtle tones between.
In singing rôles of songs it is necessary to practice before the mirror
in order to see that this facial expression is present and that it is
not exaggerated; that the face is not contorted by lines of suffering or
by the lines of mirth.
Another thing the young singer must not forget in making her initial bow
before the public is the question of dress. When singing on the platform
or stage, dress as well as you can. Whenever you face the public have at
least the assurance you are looking your very best; that your gowns hang
well, are well fitted and are of a becoming color.
It is not necessary that they should be gorgeous or expensive, but let
them always be suitable, and for big cities let them be just as
sumptuous as you can afford. At morning concerts in New York, velvets
and hand-painted chiffons are considered good form, while in the
afternoon handsome silk or satin frocks of a very light color are worn
with hats.
If a singer chooses to wear a hat let her be sure that its shape will
not interfere with her voice.
A very large hat, for instance, with a wide brim that comes down over
the face, acts as a sort of blanket to the voice, eating up the sound
and detracting from the beauty of tone, which should go forth into the
audience. It is also likely to shade the singer's features too much and
hide her from view from those sitting in the balconies or galleries. As
a rule, the singer's hat should be small or with a flaring brim, which
does not detract from the tone.
Another word on the subject of corsets. There is no reason in the world
why a singer should not wear corsets, and if singers have a tendency to
grow stout a corset is usually a necessity. A singer's corset should be
especially well fitted around the hips and should be extremely loose
over the diaphragm.
If made in this way it will not interfere in the slightest degree with
the breath.
Now as to diet and the general mode of life. Every singer must take care
of her health. But that does not necessarily mean that she must wrap
herself in cotton batting and lead a sequestered existence. I don't
believe that any person who wants to make a public career can accomplish
it and also indulge in social dissipations. Society must be cut out of
the life of the would-be singer, for the demands made by it on time and
vitality can only be given at a sacrifice to one's art.
The care of the health is an individual matter, and what agrees well
with me would cause others to sicken. I eat the simplest food always,
and naturally, being an Italian, I prefer the food of my native land.
But simple French or German cookery agrees with me quite as well. And I
allow the tempting pastry, the rich and overspiced pâté, to pass me by
untouched and console myself with quantities of fruit and fresh
vegetables.
Personally I never wear a collar and have hardened my throat to a
considerable extent by wearing slightly cutout gowns always in the
house, and even when I wear furs I do not have them closely drawn around
the neck. I try to keep myself at an even bodily temperature, and fresh
air has been my most potent remedy at all times when I have been
indisposed.