Voices

OPERA VOICE TYPES

From the highest to the lowest pitch:
SOPRANO • MEZZO-SOPRANO • CONTRALTO • COUNTERTENOR • TENOR • BARITON • BASS-BARITON • BASS
and related subsets.

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SOPRANO

Soubrette ~ A very light voice, this type of soprano usually plays very young women, sometimes naïve, but almost always energetic. A warm, gentle voice, this type of soprano usually plays young, innocent women. These roles are sometimes casually referred to as “ina/etta roles” due to many character names ending in these suffixes (Zerlina, Gianetta, Serpina, Nannetta). They often portray maids, servants and peasant girls.

Lyric ~ The most common type of soprano, these singers portray a wide range of characters, from maids and countesses to middle-class women and young women in love. The vocal quality is heavier than a soubrette, but still fairly light. Sometimes, a distinction between “light lyric” (roles such as Gilda, Lucia and Juliette) and “full lyric” (roles such as Tatyana, Michaëla and Mimì) is made.

Spinto ~ This subset is typically referred to roles in the operas of Puccini, Verdi and other late 19^th-century Italian composers. The sound is full and large, and it possesses a great amount of dramatic colour. The characters are often grand and larger-than-life.

Dramatic ~ The largest of the soprano voices, dramatic sopranos are usually associated with the operas of Richard Wagner and Richard Strauss, although many sing the works of Verdi and other composers, as well. These voices must be heard over very large orchestras and take the longest to develop.

MEZZO-SOPRANO

Lyric ~ Lyric mezzos have light, high voices, and sometimes sing soprano roles (like Zerlina in Don Giovanni). Often, they play young men or boys in what is known as pants or trouser roles. Their voices are very flexible, and they have a wide range and colour palette.

Dramatic ~ Dramatic mezzos typically have large voices with a colour similar to a dramatic soprano. They often portray villainesses, mature women or seductresses. While these singers are rarely used in Baroque and Classical opera, their voices are found in works of the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries.

CONTRALTO

The lowest of the female voice types, the contralto is most often found in mature female roles, ranging from the wild and temperamental (Klytämnestra in Strauss’ Elektra, the Sorceress in Dido and Aeneas) to the dignified and noble (Erda in Wagner’s Ring cycle, Cornelia in Handel’s Giulio Cesare). A “true” contralto voice is considered rare, and as such, many contralto roles are frequently sung by mezzo-sopranos.

COUNTERTENOR

The highest of the mature male voice types, a countertenor is a natural tenor or baritone who has trained extensively in his upper register, developing a sound and range similar to a female mezzo-soprano. They primarily sing music of the Renaissance and Baroque periods in roles written originally for castrati or boy altos. In more modern times, composers such a Benjamin Britten and John Adams have written music for countertenors.

TENOR

Leggiero ~ Found in the operas of Handel, Rossini and other composers of the 18^th and 19^th centuries, these tenors posses very agile and high voices. They tend to play young men and are often the hero of the opera.

Lyric ~ These tenors typically have light, clear voices of medium size. Like leggiero tenors, they often play the romantic lead. Mozart tenor roles, as well as many French leading tenor roles, fit this voice type perfectly.

Spinto/Dramatic ~ Like spinto and dramatic soprano, tenors in this category have large voices well-suited to late 19^th-century Italian opera. They often play impulsive characters and tragic heroes. Roles sung by more lyric tenors today (like the Duke in Rigoletto and Romeo) were often sung by pinto tenors in past generations.

Heldentenor ~ Although many dramatic tenors fall into this subset, the specific term is reserved for tenor roles in Wagner operas. Literally meaning “heroic tenor,” these singers play grand heroes of epic proportions. Many also sing roles like Verdi’s Otello and Calaf in Turandot.

Character/Comprimario ~ Specializing in small comic roles, character tenors must be fantastic actors and have the ability to create different voices for different characters.

BARITONE

Baryton-Martin ~ This light, high baritone is found primarily in French music, and the roles are sometimes sung by a tenor with a solid lower register. The most notable role in this category is the role of Pelléas in Pelléas et Mélisande by Debussy. Because of the limited operatic repertoire, many sing a great deal of song repertoire.

Lyric ~ Lyric baritones typically have light and gentle voices and are often associated with the operas of Mozart. They sometimes play comic characters (Papageno, Rossini’s Figaro) but also more serious ones (Count Almaviva, Don Giovanni).

Verdi Baritone ~ Named for the type of vocal writing in the operas of Giuseppe Verdi, these baritones have large and powerful instruments, sometimes with a steely edge, that can cut through a large orchestra. Verdi baritones usually play the villain, causing trouble for the other characters.

BASS-BARITONE

As the name implies, these singers have characteristics of both the bass and baritone voices. While the name applies more to particular singers than specific roles, one of the best examples of a bass-baritone role is Puccini’s Scarpia (Tosca), which is sung by basses and baritones. Some sing more bass roles than baritone roles, and others are more on the baritone side, all depending on the individual singer.

BASS

Lyric ~ The most common bass type, these singers are suited to a more Italianate style. The voices are higher, and many of the roles can be sung by bass-baritones. These basses often play older men, fathers, kings, priests, and figures of great wisdom and authority.

Basso buffo ~ A basso buffo is more of a character type than a voice type and is mostly found in Italian comic operas. These characters are often oblivious to what is happening around them, and they are frequently on the wrong end of jokes and pranks.

Basso Profondo ~ While these singers are not necessarily known for the beauty of their voices, they do have great vocal power. They play many types of characters, including the semi-comic (like Mozart’s Osmin) and the dramatic (Wagner’s Fawner).

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