Examining the place of zwischenfach opera voice type in the fach system in terms of career development and the importance of clarifying the repertory selection

Opera singers have to represent themselves with a certain vocal type that is defined with its repertory and characteristics throughout their career. The system which defines vocal categories and their repertory is called ' the Fach System' and it will be discussed in later parts of the study. Even though this system serves a practical solution to ease and organise everything during the busy performance seasons, it also creates some difficulties for voices which can not completely fit into these categories. This is even more of a problem for Zwischenfach voices as they are not clearly defined and categorised in the Fach System. Human voice is a very unique instrument and even the voices in the same vocal category may have completely different qualities from each other. Because of this, it is not possible for singers to completely define the expected requirements of different vocal categories. But anyway the amount of performances which tried to fulfil the system's expected requirements had increased in great numbers.These performances which are considered successful could not be as exciting and unique as the unforgettable past performances of old days for the audience. The opinion of today's opera world is right at this point is considered and its main concern is why the originality is lost. Singers who have Zwischenfach voices are capable of singing different roles from different vocal categories as their repertory. Zwischenfach roles are in the categories of Young Dramatic Soprano, High Dramatic Soprano, Dramatic Mezzo soprano and Lyric Mezzo soprano in the Fach System. This type of voice has a wider register, extra colourful quality and a unique metallic timbre which enables them to sing roles that have different characteristics. But they are only allowed to choose one of these categories. In these categories, all the roles are not good for them to sing and at the same time there are great roles for them in other vocal categories which they are not allowed to perform, due to being categorised in another vocal category. Because of being forced to choose between different qualities of their voices, they can not completely develop all their vocal characteristics and go through technical problems. They struggle to make right repertory choices which the system could accept for them, to be successful enough to be able to get jobs in opera houses. Yet, they still cause discussions in the juries of auditions which results as not getting hired. As the uncertainty creates conflicts, they go through many psychological problems as well. Lately, it is getting so much attention that, this type of voice has an easier time with German Opera Repertory and the topic is being researched in this view. German Opera Repertory roles are written with a different tessitura which fits this type of voice and so many great performances of these difficult roles are performed by Zwischenfach voices. It is possible to find resources about this topic in the international opera world but it is not so common to be able to find anything about it in our country. With this study, it is aimed to create a resource which could hopefully help answering questions around vocal development, right repertory choices and career planning of this type of voices.