by Maria Spiliopoulou

ATHENS, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- A decade after his last performance as actor and operetta singer with the Greek National Opera, Georgios Sochos stands confidently on the main stage of the impressive 19th century Ziller Building of the National Theatre of Greece in central Athens, practicing breathing exercises before singing -- again.

Back in April 2021, Sochos contracted COVID-19 and was hospitalized for two weeks. Two long months later he was still living with symptoms, and singing was the last thing on his mind. It was a long and arduous journey for him to return to the stage.

"I was exhausted and there was also this sense of insecurity and fear due to hospitalization and the illness," he told Xinhua in a recent interview. "I was definitely affected psychologically. The disease and all this coronavirus adventure made me afraid to use my voice again."

Earlier this month, Sochos performed in a conference of Greek pulmonologists together with other participants in a program organised by the National Theatre of Greece for people recovering from COVID-19."

Inspired by a similar project run by the English National Opera, the National Theatre of Greece launched in May a free of charge online pilot program developed by a team of experts to assist people suffering from breathlessness and stress. The aim is to use singing to ease their breathing.

Thirty patients have benefited to date, and as the program expands thanks to funding provided by pharmaceutical companies, the goal is to support 100 people next year, Sofia Vienopoulou, head of the Young Peoples' Stage of the National Theatre of Greece, told Xinhua.

"It's been a great experience. It's been very rewarding to see people who have struggled with post-COVID symptoms find relief," she said, explaining how they try to share the palliative component of theatre with traumatized people.

"We are telling a story, I think, of resilience, of hope, of solidarity, of working as a team, of sharing experiences that we thought maybe were not shareable," she said.

"Loneliness has been a very big part of this trauma. ... Loneliness because they have to stay isolated, but also loneliness because it is a unknown territory, and you don't know whether what you feel has been felt by other people," Vienopoulou explained.

In the past four years, the National Theatre of Greece has run various programs with the aim of healing trauma through art, Vienopoulou told Xinhua.

The theatre invited Aggeliki Toubanaki to organize and coordinate the new program. Holding a doctoral degree (PhD) in molecular biology, Toubanaki is a vocalist, researcher, performer, producer, vocal educator and member of an interdisciplinary team planning the rehabilitation of patients with voice disorders.

Toubanaki uses the human voice as a musical instrument. During the current program, she helps her students use voice and the mechanism of breathing to heal their wounds, both physical and psychological.

"All patients need to communicate their experiences, all those strong feelings that they have from their time in hospital. ...The purpose of this laboratory program is to connect voice, breath and body," she said.

In collaboration with post-COVID clinics and specialists who are joining as guests teaching techniques to exercise muscles and open lungs, Toubanaki guides participants towards recovery.

Each case is treated as unique, and the six weekly group sessions are adjusted to each participant's needs. No prior experience or interest in singing is required to take part in the program.

The first workshop left the participants in tears, pledging to stay connected and continue to sing. "In the second program that begins now, I would love to use traditional Chinese music," Toubanaki said.

The melodies from across the globe have demonstrably helped Sochos find his voice, inner peace and smile. Relying on his strong professional background, he found it relatively easy to get his breathing back.

Music came to his rescue. The breathing exercises and singing liberated him, he said.

"These songs, the music, the journey of the mind gave me strength and support," he stressed.

For the New Year, Sochos sent his best wishes to all.

"(I wish us all) health, open minds and open souls, and I hope that one day we will be able to hug each other without fear," Toubanaki said.

"(I also wish) patience, persistence and a fighting spirit for everything that matters," Vienopoulou added. Enditem

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