EW MASK FOR CONCERT SINGERS INVENTED IN NAGOYA

When the Nagoya Nikikai opera company looked to restart a training program in June, it struggled to assure students' safety amid the COVID-19 pandemic. "Ordinary face masks would make it impossible for singers to open their mouths wide, and plastic facial shields would echo with the sounds of voices around the face," said Kumi Amano, a director of the company. 

To overcome the challenge, Amano spoke with stagehand Yuka Isoda, who designs stage props and accessories as a member of Atelier Yue and had studied vocal music. "I usually work close to singers so I could understand what is required of them," said Isoda, looking back on that time, Chie Kohara of Asahi Shimbun reported on August 10, 2020. 

The secret weapon developed by Isoda, 36, consists of a transparent facial covering and cloth bag to prevent droplets from spreading in the air when singing, while it also enables performers to open their mouths wide. The special face shield currently helps trainees who joined the Nagoya Nikikai in Mizuho Ward here to refine their skills, since its concerts scheduled through the end of the year have been canceled or postponed. 

The invention came as opera singers have difficulties in practicing during the novel coronavirus outbreak. Isoda, who has been working closely with performers, expects her brainchild will help lead to the earlier resumption of concerts. One day in late June, three junior singers, who became the company's members this past spring, took a lesson at a studio of Nagoya Nikikai for a planned demonstration. The mouths of the trainees were covered with the facial gear for singing, not ordinary masks.