DVD - History of Vocal Teaching III
My Building Blocks of Singing - Laura Sarti
At the age of 90, Laura Sarti summarises the fundamental building blocks of her exceptionally long teaching practice, in conversation with Norbert Meyn.
Laura Sarti's vocal teaching brings together influences from her native Italy, from the tradition of Mathilde and Blanche Marchesi as well as the bel canto teacher Lucie Manen, and from the German/Austrian tradition through Emmy Heim and her long time coach Paul Hamburger.
Laura Sarti was born in 1924 in Trieste, Italy where she heard many of the great Italian singers. Her family emigrated to Egypt in 1939. After the war she came to England, where she stayed for the rest of her life.
During her operatic career she sang for E.N.O., W.N.O. and Glyndebourne, and she was a founder cast member of both Kent and Scottish Opera. She made many recordings for the BBC and was a noted recitalist. She sings in the Glyndebourne CD of Barber of Seville and in Erato CD of Monteverdi’s Orfeo.
A professor and Fellow of the Guildhall School of Music & Drama since the 1970s, she has developed an international reputation as a teacher and regularly gave Master Classes in Britain, France, Switzerland, Sweden, Germany, Ireland and Portugal. She has many pupils of world renown.
Beginning with breathing and posture, going on to focusing and balancing vowel sounds, lifting the soft palate, articulation of consonants and appoggio (‘leaning on the breath’), she demonstrates the basic elements of building a technique that will enable a singer to become a true interpreter, able to reveal colours fuelled by the artistic imagination in the sound of the voice. With her pupils Clare Ghigo and Ricardo Panela she demonstrates a typical sequence of exercises and gives brief coaching on operatic repertoire.
Filmed at RCM studios, London
Edited by Simon Bayliss
and Mairi Ankers
Cover design by Dan Ewen
DVD Price: £15 plus £3 postage and packing (UK and Europe, please add another £3 for orders from other countries)