Day 1 of Standing on the Shoulders of Giants: Bel Canto Reimagined

A five-day series at the Royal Academy of Music with James Platt, Michael Pugh & Ben Johnson

Sunday 12th October 2025
10:30am – 6:00pm

Suitable for all singers, teachers and teachers who sing.

Bel canto breath management was never only technical — it was interpretive. Vaccai’s portamenti are inseparable from the expressive arc of a phrase, and Lamperti’s “noble struggle” (lotte vocale) provides the physical poise that lets the score’s long lines live. We will explore how appoggio supports the shaping of texted phrases in Mozart, Verdi, and Brahms, and how portamento, far from ornament, reveals the emotional gravity of transitions.

Practical focus: appoggio drills, portamento in Vaccai, sustaining musical line in repertoire.

Interpretive focus: reading the composer’s breath marks, phrase shapes, and dynamics as interpretive guides.