Congratulations to "The King's Speech" and Lionel Logue..from "The Breathing Lady" - Simsannabim !!!

Weeell - here's a thing...!!! For years - 37 exactly - I've striven to help others with respiratory, speech and vocal difficulties, with a breathing routine 'invented' after an almost fatal fire accident, from which I miraculously recovered out of a sheer survival 'inner drive' - who can define it ..? Prior to that I'd been a successful professional singer (among diverse interests and occupations which manifested in my crazy, un-educated life..ha ha haaaa..) So it was with interest that I attended a performance of the brilliant, faultless, and incredibly moving British film "The King's Speech", with a cast of charismatic actors headed by the engaging Colin Firth as King George Sixth of Great Britain, Helena Bonham Carter as his charming wife, Queen Elisabeth, and Geoffrey Rush, the doggedly determined Australian Speech Therapist, Lionel Logue, who eventually helped The King overcome his stammer....they have all been honoured already Internationally for their magnificent playing of these roles...we now await their reception at the forthcoming American Oscars Ceremony....Good Luck to you all, and everyone concerned in this outstanding creation... my curiosity was aroused by the publicity clips shown on t.v., especially with the aspects of 'engaging the diaphragm', which - until then - I hadn't realise was NOT a priority with the average 'Singing Teacher' ...a very famous Diva Friend recently quipped " Oooh Anna - we all know you want to 'teach the whole world to breathe', but let's face it -what good is it doing.? " I gave her no answer, but thought "..mmm...wait and see/hear..." Fortunately for me I was lucky enough to meet the illustrious German Soprano Elisabeth Grummer, whilst attending her Master Classes with a Friend, in Lucerne, and sessions at her home in Berlin in the 1970's...her 'doggy panting' exercise is one of the most beneficial to all, but particularly good for voice users and ... stammerers. The main crux of Lionel's experience was that he was considered 'a bit of a crank - to say the least ! As most of my Friends and Associates will concur, my reputation runs on similar lines..they don't call me 'Anna theMad One' for nothing ..! This I take as a charming, affectionate compliment, and it certainly breaks down any barriers for those who are wary of Officialdom and 'Elevated Experts'...The methods Lionel employed to 'liberate' our Dear King George the Sixth from his stuttering stammer were totally un-orthodox, and I believe came from an innate 'instinctive gift'. In my un-complicated mind - it is classed as -MAGIC...make of magic what you will...Many 'singing teachers' have 'blocked' me with singers who had vocal problems, and would have benefitted most from knowing how to breathe correctly..Dame Joan Sutherland , in the 1970's, when I met her at a competition in Austria, bewailed the fact that I was not taken seriously...A little later, another Antipodean, Janice Chapman, the "Holoistic (!! pardon- ??) Singing Teacher", attended a Breathing Workshop I gave in London. Miss Chapman was there to 'vet' me, for The British Voice Association who had invited me to demonstrate my simple breathing routine, in conjunction with the distinguished Swedish soprano Elisabeth Soderstrom at their International conference. Miss Chapman was puzzled as to why I suggested and demonstrated certain movements - "Woi arr ya doin' thett?" - "Try it and you may find out ..hmm?" She stayed for half the session, and reported back to Gunnar Rugheimer, BVA Secretary (who had heard some young singers at The Vadstena Festival, Sweden, using my routine earlier that year, and liked what he'd heard.) .. that basically, "it would be an insult to the intelligence of all attending the conference, for me to explain the principals of breathing so simplistically "....so I know how Lionel must have felt.... Due to this wonderful film, there is now an un-anticipated interest in in the "Simsannabim" Breathing Routine. ...so, come one and all, and be 'enlightened' as my most stalwart, mega talented Swedish contralto 'breather' Anna Larsson, puts it... !!..maybe I've been right all along..my 'regular breathers' certainly prove that 'the proof of the pudding is in the eating' ..or in my case ' the proof of the method in in the hearing'..with warmest, loving greetings to all those who have had faith in this " little old English Auntie, who loves gossip and licorice ice cream (!), and who speaks perfect Queen's English! " ...quote from the Blogg of the aforementioned Anna Larsson ..see her at her homepage anna larsson.nu - up poles, singing magnificently with a cute 5 foot long, real, LIVE albino python climbing her right arm as Kundry (oooh!) and another magnificent 'breather ' - Rosalind Plowright, O.B.E - 'Rosalind Plowright Classical Singing Lesson and mini Masterclass' ...nightie night..and please ..k..p b.......g...