Siffleur

Siffleur, French for 'whistler', names the professional whistling acts of the vaudeville and music hall stage, whose performers made the unaided human whistle a headline instrument. A siffleur reproduced birdsong, imitated orchestral instruments and whistled operatic arias, popular melodies and elaborate cadenzas, often in duet with a piano or theatre orchestra. Stars such as *Fred Lowery*, blind from childhood, and Britain's *Ronnie Ronalde* sustained recording careers on the novelty's strength. The act survives in concert whistlers and world whistling competitions, a remnant of variety theatre's speciality turns.