Opera and the courtroom might seem worlds apart—but they share a similar stagecraft. In this episode, Anne Fuchs, professional opera singer and Director of Communications for the Indiana Court of Appeals, reveals how posture and breath can transform your voice into a powerful advocacy tool. From mastering vocal control to learning a little Italian, this conversation will help you speak with confidence and command attention when it matters most.

Topics
02:30  Why vocal quality matters
04:03  Assessing your voice and why we hate the sound of it
07:13  Transatlantic accent
08:34  Introverts and extroverts, and skills 
13:42  La Postura
21:16  Appoggio
33:05  Legato
41:26  Chiaroscuro
39:41  Nasality and vocal fry
50:20  Opera and the appellate court
55:23  Signoff questions

Quote
“Confidence is a skill set. It is not a personality trait. And so as much as it might feel like, Wow, that big, loud, bombastic person with that amazing trial experience, and Look at how he just commands the courtroom with that voice—that may be something that’s inherent to him. It may be something that he learned. But it is 100% true that every single person can learn how to use their voice more confidently and more effectively, without being an extrovert, without it being something that just came to them naturally. There are specific skills you can learn, and anybody can do it.” Anne Fuchs

Resources
Anne Fuchs (bio)
Foxy Opera (30-minute private coaching, enter Secret49 for savings)
Vocal Warm-Up Exercises (cheat sheet)
Point Well Made: Persuasive Oral Advocacy (book)