Rossini, Puccini, Bellini… the great opera composers knew a thing or two about the Italian accent and how wonderfully the vowel sounds resonate at length around the opera halls.

The sound of a long ‘ah’, ‘ee’ or ‘oo’ contributes so much to the atmosphere created by the singer and expresses the emotions of fear, despair and love. Add some long ‘or’, ‘air’ and ‘er’ vowels and the audience is transported.

Operas seized the opportunity to influence their audiences through the music and sounds of the words and vowels of the great singers. But it’s not just the great Italian operas which uses the long vowels so effectively to impact on the listeners. And it’s not just in song that you hear those long vowels.

Listening to lively conversations, during a recent trip to Venice, the melodic rhythm of the Italian speakers was all around. The passion of the spoken language was evident with the strong emphasis on the vowels – supported by the hand movements and body gestures. So expressive, so passionate, so very different from the way British English speakers speak.

Sometimes clients explain that they have just one style of speaking, especially if they come from Italy or Spain. It’s rapid, full of supportive hand gestures and loud. These clients say that their voice style is holding them back in the business world. With voice coaching you can discover new ways to use your voice. The right kind of voice for the right occasion. Subtle, quiet, persuasive or authoritative speech can win you respect from your peers and even new business from your clients.

With voice coaching to help you find new ways of expressing yourself, you can choose or lose those long vowels. It’s horses for courses, as we say in the UK, or the right voice for the right business occasion.

For more help with improving your accent and speech, get in touch.