I came as something of a novice to both acting and solo singing only a few years ago. I've found that you can't do it just be being 'honest' - you always hhave to be aware of many technical things, and for me that is one of the things that makes it so satisfying: one is totally caught up in a rich and complex activity part of which is to convey something emotionally convincing to an audience in such as a way that they can totally suspend disbelief at how stylized it all is. Such is the power of music, and the charms of the human voice that they are often quite prepared to accept a smoothe legato line expressing what would normally be a series of blurts interrupted by long silences. Likewise with gestures. Natural gestures are often too jerky to do much more than distract on a stage. I'm sure most actors admired for the naturalism of their performance practice all sorts of physical economies, and I have little doubt that the great Callas was one of them. If she has become a habitual target of people saying "Of course her technique was flawed' - well, I believe it was a stylistic thing that had a price, which we must all be grateful she was willing to pay. john (I'm on holiday just now so accessing my e-mail is awkward, so please don't be upset if I can't acknoledge any response to this portion of this thread.j
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