Soprano Frances Yeend's interesting warm-up technique.

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In finding a photo to go with Robert Croan's obituary on soprano Frances Yeend we came across this amazing photo in the Post-Gazette archives. Here is its original caption:

"April 4, 1950, Frances Yeend of the City Center Opera Co., New York. She says bubble blowing is an excellent way to relax the throat muscles. She spends at least 30 minutes like this before each performance."

I had never heard of this as a warm-up technique, have you? It seems the sort of extravagant thing a diva would do, but also the kind of new-fangled technique that was typical of the '50s. Clearly, we lost a spirited woman when this talented singer died.

Soprano Renee Fleming issued the following statement to our Robert Croan, too late for the obit he wrote on Yeend, so I include it here:

"Frances Yeend had a tremendous influence on me during a transitional period early on in my studies. She gave me my first real knowledge of a breath technique, and more importantly, piqued my interest in singing with the richness of her shared career experiences and the sacrifices she made. She sang gloriously and healthily for many decades even after she retired, and encouraged the many young musicians she taught. The press photograph of her CAMI trio including Mario Lanza and George London and stories of their cross-country tours inspired me tremendously. She will be missed as one of the great American singers."

-- Renee Fleming