MANAGING TECHNICAL AND STYLISTIC CHALLENGES OF 5 SOPRANO ROLES IN 3 DIFFERENT FACHS

Abstract

This dissertation follows the demands of one soprano's journey through five diverse works covering and incorporating four different musical periods (Classical, Be1 Canto, Romantic, and Verismo), three German Facher (Soubrette, Lyric Coloratura, and Dramatic Coloratura), and two languages (Italian and French). Ultimately, this project is a study and presentation of the challenges of singing diverse roles effectively while remaining healthy, both vocally and ~sychologically. Beyond the use of the German Fach system of categorization and subcategorization, I felt motivated to discover how to determine for myself if the operatic roles offered to me would be well suited to my voice, its timbre, and my physical capabilities. Sometimes, the challenge in singing a role has little reflection on the ability of the singer or whether she is singing within her assigned Fach but, rather, has more to do with the composer's ability to write well for the voice. While the works within this dissertation show both contrasting characters and, thus, differing Fach categorizations, I will argue that the German Fach System is a subjective framework. The use of the Fach system assists theaters in deciding which roles each singer can be expected to sing before choosing the repertoire. In my opinion however, many roles can be sung by singers from more than one Fach category, depending on the abilities of the singers, conscientious teachers, conductors, directors, and even the sizes of the opera theaters. In my dissertation, I will discuss whether the roles I selected to perform provided a healthy regimen and how the preparation and performance of works from different musical periods has required special techniques and posed unusual psychological demands. Also, I will discuss the effect of using two different languages on a singer's voice. It is important to note that this dissertation is not a study of the progression of the soprano voice as it changes from one Fach classification to another through maturity or increased vocal technique. Rather, it is look at singing across several Fach categories and in diverse periodical styles with regularity.