Soprano The highest of the female voice types, the soprano has always had a place of prominence in the hierarchy of vocal music. In operatic drama, the soprano is almost always the heroine or protagonist of an opera, since a high, bright sound can suggest youth, innocence and virtue.
Examples: Cio-Cio San in
Madama Butterfly (clip:
Un Bel Di), Mimì in
La bohème
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Mezzo-soprano A mezzo-soprano, or mezzo, has a voice lower then a soprano’s but higher than a contralto’s. Throughout opera history the mezzo has been used to convey many different types of characters: everything from boys or young men (so-called trouser or pants roles), to mothers or mother-types, seductive heroines, and villainesses.
Examples: Cherubino in
The Marriage of Figaro (clip:
Non So Piú), Isabella in
The Italian Girl in Algiers
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Contralto The lowest of the female voice types, it is rare to find a contralto singer, and true contralto roles are few and far between. These roles are usually older women and special character parts such as witches and gypsies.
Examples: Baroness in
Vanessa, Maria in
Porgy and Bess, Maddalena in
Rigoletto, Angelina in
La Cenerentola (clip:
Un Soave Non So Che)
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Countertenor The countertenor is a natural tenor (or sometimes baritone) with an elevated range. With training and practice this higher range, similar to that of a woman alto, becomes the natural voice.
Examples: Oberon in
A Midsummer Night's Dream, Apollo in
Death in Venice, The Refugee in
Flight
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Tenor The highest of the male voices, the tenor is frequently the hero or protagonist of an opera.
Examples: Ferrando in
Così fan tutte, Tamino in
The Magic Flute, the Duke in
Rigoletto, Alfredo in
La traviata (clip:
De’ Miei Bollenti Spiriti)
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Baritone The baritone is the most common male voice, lower in range than the tenor and with a darker tone. In comic opera, the baritone is often the ringleader of the hijinks, but in tragic opera, he is often the villain.
Examples: Papageno in
The Magic Flute, Count Almaviva in
The Marriage of Figaro (clip:
Crudel! Perchè Finora), Escamillo in
Carmen
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Bass-baritone a category used to describe voices with a range between that of the baritone and the bass. The tessitura (or lie) of these roles is higher than what a bass can comfortably sing with occasional moments of probing into the bass register and the need for a darkness of color that the bass brings to a role.
Examples: Porgy in
Porgy and Bess, Horace Tabor in
The Ballad of Baby Doe, Figaro in
The Marriage of Figaro (clip:
Non Più Andrai)
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Bass The lowest and darkest of the male voices. Low voices often suggest age and wisdom or evil characters in serious opera, but in comic opera they are often used for old characters that are foolish or laughable.
Examples: Leporello in
Don Giovanni (clip:
Notte E Giorno Faticar), Sarastro in
The Magic Flute, Méphistophélès in
Faust
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Audio for
Voice Types in Opera is courtesy of
Allegro Corporation.