Hello from England ..after a season of National rejoicing !!

Dear Friends ...long time - no Blogs - my apologies..Facebook has been keeping me occupied for some months, which have included incredible excitements with the wondrous Swedish contralto Anna Larsson, and the enigmatic English mezzo soprano Rosalind Plowright, O.B.E., plus "new" Breathers, at The Royal Opera, London, and Glyndebourne Opera, Sussex. Then the Queens' Diamond Jubilee Celebrations - what an amazing triumph - such love & reverence for this brilliant, spiritual guardian of our quaint country ... One of the most touching visual moments, was when she looked so surprised at her reception on the Royal Progress down the River Thames, on a "tarted up barge " - after weeks of exhausting National Touring - her heart warming expression radiantly exchanged with her Husband & Consort, Prince Philip, finally revealed her surprise & recognition, that she is very dearly loved ..mmmm ....after that, I trolled off to Sweden, for The Vatness Song Festival - creation of the self same Anna Larsson, my very first "Simsannabim Breather",(since 1992 !!) and her golden voiced tenor husband Goran Eliasson. What can I say ? The whole experience was almost like a dream sequence ! They've built their own Concert Barn, seating 350, with state of the art lighting, et al - in a field - at their Farmhouse - by a lake - near Mora - Dalarna !! ...& presented a very fine Internationally acclaimed production of Brittens' "Rape of Lucretia "- designed & directed by the uniquely talented Mathius Clason, & co director - (another of my Beautiful Breathers), the incomparable mezzo soprano, Ingrid Tobiasson - incredible ! "Lucretia" was originally Premiered in 1946 at - Glyndebourne , & the whole Festival had a similar ambience, with Banqueting Marquee, picnics & champagne on the lawns...ah me, I felt really 'at home '...Now we're all recovering from the most amazing "Olympic Games Spectacular" - you can see most of these breathtaking epics on You Tube ..and if you watched the Closing Ceremony ..as the Olympic Cauldron flames were extinguished , you will have heard a few minutes of a divinely beautiful "voice over " - the brilliant English soprano, Eliabeth Roberts - another "Simsibimsi Breather"...she remarkably established that fabulous, floating, celestial sound with her beautiful voice, a few weeks before the event - - in just 4 breathing sessions - true genius ...toi toi toi to you All - k..p b.......g.. Love You All...Madanna XXXOO

The perils of cybernetic automatic interconnections & dubious security systems ....horrendous !!

Hello from Berko in The chilly Chilterns !! Before I warn you about the perils of cybernetic malfunctions, I'll bring you up to date with the past year. As I've been abroad much of the time with some of my most wonderful International Breathers, and without my computer, much has taken place without record - so here goes. In Jan '11, I was lucky enough to accompany amazing Anna Larsson, contralto brilliante, for her debut as a spectacular "Kundry", "Parsifal" at La Monnaie, Bruxelles - singing along with a fascinating REAL live Albino python wrapped around her right arm ..hmmm, talk about a cool contralto ...breathtaking .. then Feb....some tranquil days in London with lovely Melanie Diener, soprano, singing with the LPO ..fun hours in stimulating company. Ainhoa Zubillaga and her colleague Olatz "popped over' from San Sebastian, Spain, taking in the local fresh air & visiting The Royal Opera House, London, for a coaching with my friend Richard Hetherington. Next, a truly wonderful experience at The Royal Festival Hall, London, was as Guest of the great French contralto, Nathalie Stutznmann, singing with Sir Simon Rattle & The Berlin Philharmonic Orch - Mahler 3 ...oooh, another life enhancing performance..In March a magical journey to Dear Friends in Zurich for some 'serious breathing', & lots of fun with younger Friends....most uplifting spiritually, then on to My Family Friends in Munich, followed by fascinating days in Stuttgart at The Opera, with remarkable Rosalind Plowright, creating a phenomenal interpretation of 'The Prioress', in "The Carmelites " - she literally 'stole the show' as reported ...unbelievable - and is back there now for more performances... the next day, due to 'fitting in' last minute bookings, I flew to Stockholm, for Anna L and her Future Stars Programme - very exciting ...The warning about cybernetic malfunctioning relates to a text I was sending to an Agent, regarding a singer. Whilst I was writing the text, a noisy 'text alert' came thro', which I realised, after sending the info. to the Agent - had also 'connected ' with the actual singer I'd assessed - and the text was automatically sent to the Agent and singer - she was surprised and happy as I'd recommended her - but oh, what a disaster had it been otherwise ..scaaary ..does it only happen with iphones? Some investigation is obviously urgent ...have you had a similar experience ? 'byee for today, catch up again soon ...and don't forget ..k..p b.......g ... toi toi toi ...simsannabim...

...1 - 11 -11 - a 'Special' date .....

..let's hope this 'special day' is cosmically when kindness, compassion, and integrity permeate the air we breathe, and is the beginning of a process which can cleanse modern living of 'pre-historic bestial bullying', and the aquisition of mega wealth by the extremely rich !! ....where has humankind gone astray? There a widespread obsession with all things 'expensive' according to International financial reports, luxury goods are enjoying 'a boom' ..unbelievable .. - 'the rich becoming richer - and the poor - poorer'... It's obvious that really successful money making businesses are ...horrifically - wars ...!! Let's pray for a miraculous re-birth of 'humanity' and faith in the goodness of our fellow creatures ....maybe then pure, unconditional love will have a chance to flourish ....be thankful and deserving of any kindness with which you are blessed.....mmmm...looking forward to 11/11/11 ...bless you all...and k..p b.......g ...that helps ...!!!

Breathing in to the venue...a vital skill...Anna Larsson...,

We live and learn - with any luck !! It only occurred to me recently, whilst at The Royal Opera House, London, with my most experienced and brilliant breather, the fascinating Swedish contralto Anna Larsson, with whom I commenced my Extended Breathing method in 1992, that the Ambience, Accoustic and Architecture of a venue is more crucial to phonation than I'd realised after all these years 'in the biz'!! At The Garden - (Co(n)vent Garden being a most appropriate venue !!) for her debut as 'The Principessa' in 'Suor Angelica', Anna and I 'breathed her voice' and text into those vital elements with perfect synchronisation, the voice displaying every nuance, variable dynamic and emotion written into the score by Puccini...so different from the Teutonic repertoire with which Anna is uusually identified ...brilliant, altogether an impressive Debut, sincere congratulations Anna ...then, a few weeks later, we're in Oxford, for a recital with her well established, masterly and accomplished Duo accompanist, the charming Matti Hirvonen, piano, to make musical magic ...what a sublime experience they created for their doting audience...at The Holywell Music Rooms Concert Hall, the first 'purpose built' edifice in Europe - seating about 300 - depending on the width of spectator posteriors !! The way Anna played with the change of the three 'A's' and her wonderful use of text, with Matti's constant guidance and rhythmic support were perfect - 'en rapporte' - absolutely incredible - and Matti had already played for another singer in a recital earlier in the day ...so we go on, every time finding new sensations..mmmm...here's to our next 'breathe in'..mmmmm...k..p b.......g...

Breathtaking and Inspirational Duo - Anna Larsson, contralto and Matti Hirvonen, piano...

Anyone who was lucky enough to be at the wonderful recital in Oxford last Saturday evening, 22/10/11, at the magnificent Holywell Music Rooms - the first 'purpose built' European concert hall, erected in 1742 - was treated to a blissful evening of delights, by these two brilliant creators of musical magic...the programme series dedicated to Swedish Artists, offered a generous helping of compositions from well loved repertoire, plus some impressive contemporary works. All were treated to the same loving care of vocal and pianistic interpretation - and what an amazing rapporte Anna and Matti have developed in their continued collaboration...fantastic...they radiated creative perfection...and I've never heard Anna find so much depth and soul searchingly heartfelt intensity in well known favourites, plus fun in the lighter repertoire ...I was SO surprised that, after our years of 'breathing' music into her uniquely beautiful and extraordinarily flexible voice - she has unexpectedly 'found' a totally new and even more incredibly fascinating vocal expressiveness - and ooooh, the gorgeous variety of dynamics throughout her entire contralto to top soprano range 'PPPP' to 'FFFF'..and back !...unbelievable...sincere and heartfelt congratulations to this Dynamic and well loved Duo ..toi toi toi...don't forget to k..p b.......g....

Alleluia !! I'm 'connected ' again, having moved to another 'server'...phew, I can breathe again ...ha ha ha !!!

It's been an anxious time changing Internet Servers, from Talk Talk to o2 - several very confused days, due to mysterious new passwords, etc., for wi-fi router, on iphone and in laptops - it's not quite "all Greek to me ", but very close..hmmm... so now I have all my favourites restored and feel safe and secure in being able to contact all my lovely 'breathers' again...what I really admire is that the various advisers from the numerous companies have some sort of 'sixth sense' re telecommunications lingo and procedures - they can't actually see the screen I'm using, and my knowledge of IT technical terms is nil! Have you tried to explain that little 'whizzing' coloured circle - called the 'egg timer' which comes in a variety of colours and shapes..?? I usually end up in fits of laughter when describing them ..!! Luckily all the brilliant IT experts have a sense of humour... I've been in touch with a 'plethora of persons' around the world - and with o2 even in the U.K.!! So, with baggy, saggy eyes from hours of screen watching, I'd like to thank Magarida and Ana Maria in Portugal, Arjun and Guru Gerry @ 02 in Hemel Hempstead, Herts., Maurice - Manchester, Sharlene and Nick - London, Ellen - Stockholm, Stephen - Glasgow, Mike and Kiera - Ireland, and several in India and South Africa - to mention but a few...At the weekend I'll go to Oxford to hear the 'first' of my fabulous Swedish Breathers, the one and only Anna Larsson, contralto extraordinaire, recently successfully making her debut at The Royal Opera, London, as 'The Principessa' in 'Suor Angelica'...now for another facet of her limitless talents, a recital at The Holywell Music Rooms in Oxford, accompanied by the delightful, and ever impressive Matti Hirvonen, piano, 20.00 Sat. 22nd. Oct. 2011 ... mmmm..looking forward to this 'gem' of a performance ... so Dear Readers, keep warm....and most importantly ..k..p b.......g ...

A chance to hear one of my finest Breathers - Celeste (Llyn) Whilds ...in Tring, Hertfordshire !!

Yes, the brilliant soprano Celeste is coming to "sing, and Ping - in Tring" !! Admired for her wonderful performances, particularly in The Chilterns area, Aland, Finland, and Sweden - Stockholm and Gothenburg, Celeste has been busy in the last few years, being Mrs. Richard Whilds, with her emminent English Musician Husband, in Munich, where Richard is a Member of The Bayerische Opera, and a conductor, arranger, composer . They now have a delightful Daughter Lily, 15 months and absolutely adorable ...whom you can see if you are in the Facebook community...Celeste has delighted and enchanted audiences in staged performances, with her wonderful operatic heroines - 'Violetta'- 'La Traviata'; 'Donna Anna' - 'Don Giovanni'; 'Gilda' - 'Rigoletto'; 'Cio Coi-San' - 'Madama Butterfly', and many others in concert, including 'Desdemona' - 'Otello'; 'Lucia di Lammermoor' 'Tosca' to mention a few ..- so if you have the opportunity, come along to St. Peter & St. Paul Church, High Street, Tring, Herts., at 19.30 on Sat. 15th. Oct.2011 for a programme, devised and presented by the inimitable Richard Grylls - 'Un Estravaganza Italiana - A Feast of Italian Music' ....with audience participation - come along and join in !!! £5, children - Free ! Whoopppeee ! ..and don't forget to k..p b.......g ....mmmm..