Hit the nail on the head right there

Yes, exactly.

In our recording-saturated age, we all get these conceptions of what a certain role or Fach "should" sound like, and in tandem we develop opinions about what we ourselves "should" should like.....this is why it's so important to listen to a variety of singers outside of our own time. (Somewhat relevant sidenote: I was just listening to some de Lucia yesterday and marveling that this guy who can ascend the scale with such a perfect heady mix was also a famous Canio! He's a brilliant lesson in defining your Fach based on your abilities, rather than by your technical limitations. Another big lesson there is that tastes change over time, but the most admirable singers from any era sing with their own distinctive sounds rather than employing artificial technical adjustments to sound like anyone other than themselves!)

I think the hardest part of becoming a singer is figuring out and accepting and then improving upon how YOUR VOICE actually sounds and functions. Rather than such setting goals for how to improve the technique or artistry, too many people set goals for what they want to BE someday. I think we all have to figure out for ourselves that it doesn't work that way.

What we DO determines what we ARE , not the other way around. Let the voice lead you to the appropriate rep; don't mold the voice to fit the Fach (or conception of what your Fach is).

Lots of brilliant posts on this thread -- I find myself agreeing with lots of seemingly contradictory opinions!

Marschallin

"Jedes Ding hat seine Zeit."