Wayne Cameron, a 56-year-old warehouse manager in England, was initially skeptical about his doctor’s suggestion to take some opera singing lessons to relieve his breathing problems after contracting the coronavirus last March. But after six weeks of singing, Cameron says, he became convinced that “this program really helps – both physically and mentally.”
“Opera has its roots in breathing,” explains Jenny Mollica, lead singer of the English National Opera (ENO). As the coronavirus pandemic began to expand rapidly last spring, she advised Respiratory Specialist Dr. Seira Elkin to use the National Opera singers to teach patients how to breathe properly.
Cameron, along with 11 other patients, under the guidance of a singing teacher, performed a series of breathing exercises using the Zoom virtual communication system aimed at expanding the lungs. During the exercise, the patients also sang a little. And now, Cameron admits, he can hit “a pretty high note” and “better hit the beat.” “But more importantly,” he continues, “I became more confident, all black thoughts disappeared.”
ENO said in a press release that the ENO Breathe program will be expanded over the next few months to enroll up to 1,000 English patients.
Newspaper headline:
Opera comes to the rescue