A very simple drink: warm water (never boiling), honey to soothe, a squeeze of lemon. The precautionary gesture repeated by singers before and after vocal effort, to keep the throat supple and hydrated.

Why this dish? Joan Sutherland placed great importance on hydration and regularly drank warm water to protect her vocal cords. This warm honey-lemon drink, a universal singer's remedy for soothing the throat, directly embodies this attested habit from her life as a soprano.

Warm water, my child, is my most faithful ally — neither icy, which tightens the throat, nor boiling, which irritates it. I would mix in a spoonful of good honey and a few drops of lemon, and sip it throughout the day. People think the voice comes from the lungs; it also comes from a throat treated with care. Look after it like a precious instrument, for that is what it is.

How it was made : Warm honey and lemon is a documented throat remedy since antiquity (honey was already used by Greek and Egyptian doctors to soothe irritations). 20th-century opera singers made it a dressing room ritual, carefully avoiding ice water and strong alcohol, which were believed to tighten or dry out the vocal cords.

The contemporary twist : Add a thin slice of fresh ginger infused for a few minutes for a slightly spicy "big night" version (avoid just before singing!).

Joan Sutherland · Charactorium