She could study her pieces--without singing--by  playing them on the piano, herself. She could look up her pieces and find out--if arias--where they come in the opera and learn about the charater singing them.  If they are art songs, she could look up  the composers or poets, and why they composed/wrote them. She could analyse the peice harmonically and melodically. She could listen to recordings. She could conduct the pieces while she's listening. She could translate the texts into English so she knows what she's singing. These are all things she should be doing anyway.....and they need to do done. And finally, her voice teacher needs to know she's on vocal rest....they might have more  ideas as to what she should be doing instead of singing.

 

Marie

 First, is the doctor an ENT familiar with treating singers? If an ENT has prescribed this, then rest, period, and no cheating. Speaking is often the worst thing a singer does. If not, have your singer check with enquire with a college voice faculty nearby for recommendations of ENTs treating singers. This can make a great deal of difference.

 For instance, I was sent by my family doc to an ENT practice for  some distubing issues. I made the appointment, got to the very nice doc who, upon hearing that I was a singer, told me that he would examine but not treat me because his colleague was the one in the practice who actually had a clinic at Ithaca College to treat singer/actor vocal problems. He went on to say (and I still gulp at this), "if you had a nodule on your vocal cords, I'd just schedule you for an operation to surgically strip your vocal cords and be done with it!!!!!"

 There are therapeutic vocalizes which involve chewing hums over limited range, whispering HHHHah, HHHHeh, HHHHe, HHHHO, HHHHO while gently pivoting the chin sideways slowly, and others, designed to keep muscle tone, descending sighs over a limited range (not airplane). I would note even approach the passaggio or the lower parts of the register. Good, strong, lifted mask and flexible support are essential. Especially if this ailment is due to overwork. If that is the case, soul searching is the first thing on the agenda.

S

Research has found that when you audiate music, the same areas in the brain light up as when you are actully performing music.  So even if she is unable to sing, in addition to the wonderful suggestions already listed - especially score study, and analysis of the music - including attention to the accompaniment - and audiating (hearing the music in her head) she can actually do some amazing rehearsing without even singing.  These things should be a regular part of preparing music, as also noted by Marie - and as such, provide welcome rest for the vocal instrument, which should be given ample time to rest in any case

Joy

 

I would also suggest she study the phrasing by looking at the text; underlining stressed syllables and deciding where each phrase, each section, the entire song is going.