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From:  Greypins@a...
Date:  Sat Sep 28, 2002  6:34 am
Subject:  Re: [vocalist] Fach system

In a message dated 9/28/2002 1:41:11 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
letmusiclive4ever@a... writes:


> Do you believe it is good/ bad and why?
>

as i believe it was originally intended to protect singers from being
expected to sing roles they shouldn't, i think that is good.

in general, the idea of labeling voices is unfortunate. i'm even
bothered by the most general labels of sop., alto, tenor and bass. i
believe that if one can sing the notes and make a valid presentation of the
music and text, one has every right to sing it. for example, the role of
rodrigo in verdi's 'don carlo'. i am glad to have heard both dietrich
fischer-dieskau and ettore bastianini in the role, though they may be very
different singers, different enough not to be considered in the same fach.

i don't have experience with a fach system as a protection for singers
so, i can't comment on how effective or ineffective it may be. i do think
that the concept of fachs has been used by others (mostly extras gossiping in
the green room) to pigeon hole both singers and roles which, i think is a
disservice to both.

mike






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