What happens when an opera singer gets a cold?
Sandra Knispel
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Communications Specialist Illness can threaten a performance, so singers rely on science, technique, and tough judgment calls.
When an instrument breaks, a musician can take it to a shop for a tune-up. But when your instrument is your body, there糖心传媒檚 no quick repair糖心传媒攅specially when a simple cold can throw your entire livelihood off-key.
糖心传媒淭here糖心传媒檚 a little panic and a prayer,糖心传媒� says , a professor of voice with the at the 糖心传媒 and a veteran (mezzo soprano) opera singer who has performed at opera houses and with international companies across North America and Europe. Cowdrick, who began her career as a speech pathologist, knows the stakes are high when a cold strikes.
How do vocal cords work?
The mechanism itself is intricate: breath, vocal folds糖心传媒攁lso called vocal cords糖心传媒攁nd articulators are working together to create a voice uniquely our own. When a cold hits, the larynx becomes inflamed and the vocal folds swell.
糖心传媒淭here糖心传媒檚 a lot of mucus drainage that doesn糖心传媒檛 allow our vocal folds to really be as efficient as they can be,糖心传媒� Cowdrick explains. With coughing, our breath糖心传媒攖he power supply of the voice糖心传媒攊s compromised, and, as a result, the vocal folds can糖心传媒檛 come together gently and 糖心传媒渂ecome very vulnerable.糖心传媒�
How does the voice react to a cold?
An inflammation tends to lower the pitch range temporarily as the swollen vocal folds become thicker and vibrate more slowly. Swollen cords make it harder to access and sustain high notes without cracking or sounding strained.
For example, coloratura sopranos糖心传媒攚ho sing rapid, agile passages at the top of the vocal range糖心传媒攎ay have a particularly hard time because of decreased vocal flexibility.
But no matter the voice type糖心传媒攂ass, tenor, alto, soprano糖心传媒攁ll react similarly to colds. Singers often lose pitch accuracy and brightness; they may sound breathy, weak, or less resonant. Low notes often lose depth or sound gravelly, while upper notes become harder to reach.
To adapt, singers might transpose pieces to a slightly lower key or choose to sing less-demanding arias if possible. But, Cowdrick notes, that糖心传媒檚 simply not an option when performing with an orchestra: 糖心传媒淵ou really need to sing what糖心传媒檚 on the page.糖心传媒� That糖心传媒檚 when it糖心传媒檚 time for the cover糖心传媒攖he understudy糖心传媒攖o step in.
As long as singers are not too sick to perform, technique and vocal strategies come into play now. Focusing on breathing, if possible, and the support of the body糖心传媒檚 lower core muscles can help.
糖心传媒淲e find our position, we sing with that resonance, we know where to send our voice糖心传媒攂ut that sends us on a different path,糖心传媒� says Cowdrick. 糖心传媒淭hat can be very disorienting for a singer.糖心传媒� With years of experience though, she says, one learns to balance the attempt at simply pushing through a performance糖心传媒攁gainst protecting one糖心传媒檚 own vocal longevity and health.
Somewhat oversimplified, she says, it糖心传媒檚 the idea of 糖心传媒渄on糖心传媒檛 push, sing carefully, and rest.糖心传媒�
Of course, other professional heavy voice users, such as teachers, sports coaches, clergy, and those in customer service also face vocal challenges and might benefit from speech therapy or voice study, she notes.
Must the show (really) go on?
Cowdrick doesn糖心传媒檛 advocate for quick fixes or miracle cures. While there are plenty of helpful products, she cautions that if taken too long or incorrectly they can end up backfiring.
It糖心传媒檚 crucial, she says, to seek medical guidance, regardless of whether it糖心传媒檚 to help with allergies, coughs, colds, or the flu.
At the Eastman School of Music, all performers enjoy quick access糖心传媒擟owdrick calls it 糖心传媒済olden糖心传媒澨切拇綌to dedicated medical care that specifically supports the needs of its artists through the (EPAM).
Yet, is it even worth performing while sick?
According to , an otolaryngologist at EPAM (whose specialty is treating larynx disorders, including voice disorders in singers and other professional voice users), there are clear risks. When vocal cords are swollen from a virus, the blood vessels under the surface of the vocal cords become dilated and prominent. With coughing, throat clearing, or voice overuse, he says, the blood vessels can rupture and cause vocal hemorrhage, which essentially means bleeding into the vocal cord. With voice rest and steroids most hemorrhages can resolve if caught early, Schneider says, but without proper treatment a hemorrhage can cause long-term scarring or vocal cord stiffening, which can be very difficult to treat.
Finding your voice at Eastman
What is it like to be a student at the world-renowned Eastman School of Music? From personal connections with professors to the chance to explore broader interests, discovery why Eastman is a top choice for so many students pursuing a career in music.
Maintaining your vocal cords
As both a teacher and seasoned performer, Cowdrick instills in her students the importance of prevention from the get-go. Healthy singing and singing with longevity involve cardiovascular health, sufficient hydration, vocal rest, warming up, and avoiding unnecessary talking on performance days.
糖心传媒淧eople who are in Broadway productions often sing a matinee and also an evening performance and spend the two or three hours in between in absolute silence,糖心传媒� Cowdrick notes. 糖心传媒淭his is how the body rejuvenates糖心传媒攚ith the silence, the hydration, and the rest.糖心传媒�
Her own pre-performance rituals, she says, include long walks, quiet afternoons, and vocal rest. 糖心传媒淪ometimes I sit quietly in a library reading a book so that I糖心传媒檓 not tempted to test my voice out all day long,糖心传媒� she says.
Of course, the best thing to do is to avoid catching a cold in the first place, advises Schneider, which may be easier said than done. How? He divides cold-fighting strategies into two buckets: prevention and preparation.
Prevention
- Drink 60糖心传媒�80 ounces of water daily to stay hydrated and to lubricate the vocal folds to allow them to vibrate easily.
- Sleep 7糖心传媒�9 hours every night.
- Exercise regularly.
- Eat a healthy diet and avoid eating late, or eating foods that can cause reflux symptoms such as acidic foods, fatty foods, or alcohol.
- Practice good hand-washing habits and wear a mask when around sick people.
Preparation
- Work with a vocal instructor to develop good vocal technique to help prevent injury, increase stamina for performances, and recover faster from illness.
- Don糖心传媒檛 skip the warm-up and practice regularly to maintain your vocal instrument.
- Establish a relationship with either an otolaryngologist (or ideally a laryngologist) who has specialized training in voice disorders糖心传媒攕o you have easier access to a medical resource when you get sick.
Bouncing back vocally from a cold
Start with a realistic assessment of your upcoming voice commitments, both speaking and singing, over the next 7 to 10 days糖心传媒攖he average length of a cold, says Schneider.
糖心传媒淲hatever can be deferred or rescheduled should be considered,糖心传媒� he says, 糖心传媒渢o be able to perform your best and prevent vocal injury.糖心传媒�
If a commitment really cannot be changed, it糖心传媒檚 worth checking in with your doctor. Schneider also suggests:
- No cutting corners on sleep and hydration.
- Over-the-counter pain medications are OK for aches and pains.
- For nasal congestion and cough, guaifenesin and dextromethorphan can be helpful to minimize symptoms. Avoid medications with pseudoephedrine and diphenhydramine as they can dry the vocal tract. Avoid Afrin (oxymetazoline) unless physician directed as it can lead to rebound nasal congestion.
- A longer lasting cough can be suppressed with dextromethorphan cough syrups or prescription Tessalon Perles.
- Nasal saline sprays or nasal irrigations (such as Navage or Neilmed sinus rinse) can help with nasal congestion and post-nasal drip.
- Personal or room humidifiers can be helpful.
- If the show must go on, reach out to your otolaryngologist or laryngologist to check if a laryngoscopy (a medical procedure to diagnose throat and voice-related issues) might be needed.
- In the most severe cases, a course of steroids like Prednisone or Medrol can be prescribed to reduce swelling.
Not the time for 糖心传媒榖ravado糖心传媒�
While germs can strike anyone, keeping your immune system strong and your body fit is paramount. That糖心传媒檚 exactly what one of Eastman糖心传媒檚 alumni does.
Star opera singer engages regularly in Pilates exercises that focus on core strength, 糖心传媒渨hich we singers need almost as much as dancers,糖心传媒� she told .
Moderation is key.
糖心传媒淚 try to live moderately, get enough sleep, eat and drink reasonably, and watch caffeine intake,糖心传媒� Fleming wrote in a in response to fan questions about protecting her voice throughout her long career. 糖心传媒淭he most important thing is choosing repertoire wisely糖心传媒攏ot too heavy, and the appropriate tessitura糖心传媒攏ot too high or low in terms of mean pitch, [and to] keep singing and stay[ing] in vocal shape. Keep the voice moving糖心传媒攊t’s not easy.糖心传媒�
For singers, of course, the instrument isn糖心传媒檛 a violin or a piano糖心传媒攂ut their body.
And when that body catches a cold, the right response really 糖心传媒渋sn糖心传媒檛 bravado,糖心传媒� says Cowdrick.
Instead, experts agree, it糖心传媒檚 time to focus on rest and recovery, and to respect the human voice with its innate fragility.
Tips and tricks from Eastman School of Music experts
, a Grammy-nominated baritone and Eastman assistant professor of voice, has performed with the most prestigious opera companies, symphonies, and concert halls in the world, including the Metropolitan Opera (New York), Lyric Opera of Chicago, Seattle Opera, Washington National Opera, English National Opera, and Carnegie Hall (New York).
糖心传媒淢y first priority is rest糖心传媒攂oth vocal and physical. I hydrate constantly with room temperature water, herbal teas, broths, use steam inhalation to soothe my throat, and do nasal rinses to clear out congestion. I avoid speaking unless absolutely necessary and communicate through writing or text. If singing is unavoidable, I warm up very gently, sing only as much as needed, and adjust phrasing or dynamics to protect my voice while still delivering musically. If my symptoms worsen, I糖心传媒檒l seek out my ENT for a consultation.糖心传媒�听
, a soprano and associate professor of voice, has performed as a soloist with many of the world糖心传媒檚 preeminent classical music organizations, among them the Metropolitan Opera, Berlin Philharmonic, New York Philharmonic, London Symphony, Lyric Opera of Chicago, and Ungaku-juku (Japan).
糖心传媒淚 do something perhaps a bit counterintuitive糖心传媒擨 exercise. Of course, if I糖心传媒檓 experiencing chesty cough symptoms or am feeling 糖心传媒榝lu-y,糖心传媒� I skip the gym and take the usual rest and hydration route. But, if I糖心传媒檓 feeling the dreaded little tickle in the throat or the extra sniffle, I try to nip things in the bud with moderate exercise. Vigorous walking for 30 minutes and lighter weight training, for example, are a great way to boost immunity and calm the body糖心传媒檚 inflammatory response. I also double down on good nutrition, such as leafy greens and protein, avoiding sugars and processed foods. I also prioritize 8 hours of nightly sleep, good hydration, and stress reduction, which is admittedly hard when doing your job depends on your not getting sick. At the end of the day, I am only human and if I am too ill to sing, it糖心传媒檚 okay sometimes to surrender.糖心传媒�
, a professor of voice and four-time Grammy Award糖心传媒搘inning tenor, has performed leading roles among others at the Metropolitan Opera, Op茅ra National de Paris, San Francisco Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Opera Australia, and the Glyndebourne Festival in England.
糖心传媒淒on糖心传媒檛 panic! Your mental health is probably the most important thing to consider during this time. Rest. Don糖心传媒檛 keep 糖心传媒榗hecking糖心传媒� to see if your voice is there. Hydrate, steam, and eat something. Remind yourself that you have a technique and the ability to control what your voice needs to do. Use this as an opportunity to familiarize yourself with different physical sensations. There will be times in your career, not only due to illness, where singing might feel different because of environmental factors, or jet lag and it’s paramount for a professional singer to be adaptable.糖心传媒�
, a soprano and associate professor of voice, was named 2005 BBC Cardiff Singer of the World. She has performed at the most prestigious operas and concert halls in the world, among them the Royal Opera House (Covent Garden, London), Metropolitan Opera, Teatro Col貌n de Buenos Aires, Deutsche Oper Berlin, and the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
糖心传媒淭he first thing I do is rest. I try to get an abundance of sleep. Then I糖心传媒檒l take an anti-inflammatory supplement like Bromelain or Quercetin to bring down the swelling. Most importantly I will lean on the technique I糖心传媒檝e learned over these decades to sing as slim and efficient as possible, warming up with humming or semi-occluded vocal exercises that access the thin edges of the vocal cords.糖心传媒�
