The English National Opera (ENO) has teamed up with a London hospital to teach breathing techniques to people recovering from COVID-19. One of the common lingering effects of the virus is difficulty breathing. Proper breathing is essential for opera singers, so they're in a unique position to help patients recover.
When in-house opera concerts were cancelled due to the pandemic, the ENO wanted to find other ways to use their skills to help others. They realized they are experts in breathing, so they created a 6-week program, called ENO Breathe, that uses therapeutic techniques reworked by singers. The techniques help restore lung capacity, as well as lessen anxiety through deep breathing exercises.
ENO Breathe recruited 12 people for a pilot program, and it was so successful that the program is being expanded to include other clinics in England. Patients who've taken the lessons say that it has definitely helped. Wayne Cameron, a participant in the program, said, "The program really does help—physically, mentally, in terms of anxiety.”
ENO Breathe has helped not only COVID-19 patients, but also the opera singers themselves. As Jenna Mollica, director of the ENO's outreach programs, puts it, “Everyone’s found it really motivating. It’s fantastic to realize that this skill set we have is useful.”
