Page 17 - 2020 Classical Singer Magazine January Summer Program Issue

exercises were one of the few that I could use to get my vocal folds and breath functioning without thinking about my dysfunctional articulators.
After two years of rebuilding,
I put myself out there again. The first person to take a risk was Donald Pippin of Pocket Opera. It was a small company, but a place that was perfect to start over.
I was hired as Violetta
for Traviata. Since she had tuberculosis, it was believable that she would have a facial injury as TB can cause Bell’s palsy. The director, Nicolas Aliaga, kindly worked it into the show. I actually cried onstage at the end when he had me look into the mirror and observe my new face. I didn’t sing the high E-flat due to my range disability, but the rest felt great.
Since then, I have been blessed to perform again both in opera and in concert. My community of facial paralysis friends see that one can overcome and go back in public.
Anything else you would like to add?
I want to create awareness for facial paralysis and other facial disfiguring ailments. The psychological impact is often underrepresented, and these patients need support.
This experience has greatly enhanced my pedagogical knowledge and understanding of voice science. I have a passion for teaching, and my unique background gives me an unusual perspective. My paper on mobile apps and biofeedback, a tool which helped me retrain, was
just accepted by the Journal of Singing. And for over a decade, I have given lectures on how we can apply neuroscience to singing and teaching based on research.
We are on the cusp of transforming our field given the confluence of knowledge from various areas of science, and
I love merging thoughts from different fields to help in my own teaching and singing.
Michelle Latour is active as
a teacher, singer, writer, and adjudicator and lives in Las Vegas. She has been on the full- time faculty at several universities and owns a private studio, the Latour Voice Studios. You can visit her at www.thelatourvoicestudios. com and on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
An intensive opera training and young artist program with performance opportunities for singers, pianists, and directors.
For more information, visit opera.music.ua.edu
Paul Houghtaling, Artistic Director
May 20-28, 2020
2020 Resident Faculty Kevin Chance Alexis Davis-Hazell Paul Houghtaling Amanda Johnston Linda Lister Richard Masters Dawn Neely David Ronis David Tayloe Susan Williams
Application Deadline: March 15, 2020
www.csmusic.net 17