In the ever-evolving field of music research and performance, timbre is often seen as being the unique fingerprint that distinguishes each performer or instrument. However, recent studies highlight the limitations of this essentialist view, emphasizing that timbre is rather a product of performative practice, musical context, and culture. Thus, timbre, while expressive, is not synonymous with identity but a means to communicate various identities, whether authentic or constructed.
The "Voices, Timbre(s), Identiti(es)" event addresses this complexity from multiple angles: cultural, gendered, historical and stylistic. Beyond musicological and philosophical questions, speakers will explore the creative and pedagogical implications, particularly in vocal and operatic music. They will address the style and technique of operatic singing, as well as the impact of timbral diversity in opera, particularly from cultural and identity angles.