Voice Types in OperaThere are four main voice types in singing: soprano, alto, tenor, and bass. In opera, these voice types are further broken out into categories that reflect the singer's vocal range as well as the dramatic requirements of an operatic role. Soprano: The highest of the female voice types, the soprano has always had a place of prominence in the vocal hierarchy. In opera, the heroine or protagonist is portrayed by a soprano, because the high, bright sound typical of the soprano voice suggests youth, innocence, and virtue. There are several different types of soprano voices:
Examples: Cio-Cio San in Madama Butterfly, Mimi in La bohème "Jewel Song" from Gounods's Faust, featuring Mary Mills as Marguerite (coloratura soprano) and the Opera Company of Philadelphia Orchestra, conducted by Jacques Lacombe. Excerpt courtesy of Opera Company of Philadelphia. Opera America Sample: "Jewel Song" 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 portray many different types of characters, such as mothers or mother-types, seductive heroines, and villainesses. Mezzo's can also play young men, performing in so-called "trouser" or "pants" roles. In choral music, the vocal counter-part of the mezzo-soprano is the alto. An example of a mezzo-soprano singer is Marilyn Horne. Examples: Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro), Rosina in Il barbiere di Sivilglia (The Barber of Seville) NEA CD: "Habanera" sung by Carmen in Bizet's Carmen, Graciela Alperyn, mezzo-soprano 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. The roles performed by a contralto typically consist of character parts, such as older women, witches, and gypsies. An example of a contralto singer is Marian Anderson. Examples: Baroness in Vanessa, Maria in Porgy and Bess, Maddalena in Rigoletto "Reverenza" from Verdi's Falstaff. Chorus and Orchestra of Hungarian Opera, Anikó Katona , Chorus Master, Will Humburg, Conductor. Excerpt courtesy of Naxos. Sample (real audio): "Reverenza" Countertenor: A high male voice, generally singing within the female contralto or mezzo- soprano range. The countertenor frequently portrayed young, virile men or innocent, blushing adolescents. The voices were generally quite powerful. An example of a countertenor is Alfred Deller. Examples: Julius Caesar in Giulio Cesare (Julius Caesar), Oberon in A Midsummer Night's Dream Tenor: A tenor is a male singer with a high voice, although not as high as a countertenor. The tenor often plays sympathetic roles in an opera, such as the hero or protagonist. Examples of tenor singers include Enrico Caruso, Mario Lanza, Luciano Pavarotti, and Plácido Domingo. There are several types of tenor voices:
Examples: Ferrando in Così fan tutte, Tamino in Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute), The Duke in Rigoletto, Alfredo in La traviata NEA CD: "La donna è mobile" sung by The Duke of Mantua in Verdi's Rigoletto, Yordy Ramiro, tenor 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 of baritone singers include Robert Merrill and Sherrill Milnes. Examples: Papageno in Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute), Count Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro), Escamillo in Carmen NEA CD: "Largo al factotum" sung by Count Almaviva in Rossini's Il barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville), Roberto Servile, baritone Bass-baritone: Voices with a range between that of the baritone and the bass. The "tessitura" of these roles is higher than what a bass can comfortably sing. However, occasionally the music requires the vocal range of the bass, and when this occurs, a bass-baritone often achieves the darkness of color that a bass possesses. Examples: Porgy in Porgy and Bess, Horace Tabor in Ballad of Baby Doe Bass: The lowest and "darkest" of the male voices. In opera seria, basses usually portray characters who are aged, wise, or evil. In opera buffa, basses generally portray characters who are foolish, or laughable. Examples of bass singers include Ezio Pinza and Nicolai Ghiaurov. Examples: Leporello in Don Giovanni, Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute), Méphistophélès in Faust "Me voici" from Gounod's Faust, featuring William Burden as Faust, Richard Bernstein as Méphistophélès, and the Opera Company of Philadelphia Orchestra, conducted by Jacques Lacombe. Excerpt courtesy of Opera Company of Philadelphia Opera America Sample : "Me voici" National Endowment for the Arts · an independent federal
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