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The German system (; literally "compartment" or "subject of study", here in the sense of "vocal specialization") is a method of classifying singers, primarily
opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a libre ...
singers, according to the range,
weight In science and engineering, the weight of an object is the force acting on the object due to gravity. Some standard textbooks define weight as a vector quantity, the gravitational force acting on the object. Others define weight as a scalar q ...
, and
color Color (American English) or colour (British English) is the visual perceptual property deriving from the spectrum of light interacting with the photoreceptor cells of the eyes. Color categories and physical specifications of color are assoc ...
of their voices. It is used worldwide, but primarily in Europe, especially in German-speaking countries and by repertory opera houses. The ' system is a convenience for singers and opera houses. It prevents singers from being asked to sing roles which they are incapable of performing. Opera companies keep lists of available singers by ' so that when they are casting roles for an upcoming production, they do not inadvertently contact performers who would be inappropriate for the part. Below is a list of ' (), their ranges as written on sheet music, and roles generally considered appropriate to each. When two names for the ' are given, the first is in more common use today. Where possible, an English and/or Italian equivalent of each ' is listed; however, not all ' have ready English or Italian equivalents. Note that some roles can be sung by more than one ' and that many singers do not easily fit into a ': for instance some sopranos may sing both ' and ' roles. In addition, roles traditionally more difficult to cast may be given to a voice other than the traditional '. For instance, the " Queen of the Night" and " Violetta" are more traditionally dramatic coloratura roles, but it is difficult to find a dramatic coloratura to sing it (particularly given the extreme range). Therefore, these roles are often sung by a lyric coloratura.


Soprano '


* English equivalent: coloratura soprano or
lyric coloratura soprano A coloratura soprano is a type of operatic soprano voice that specializes in music that is distinguished by agile runs, leaps and trills. The term ''coloratura'' refers to the elaborate ornamentation of a melody, which is a typical component of ...
* Range: From about middle C (C4) to the F two-and-a-half octaves above middle C (F6) * Description: Usually (but not always) a light soprano who has a high voice. Can often have small voices lacking the richness and resonance of a dramatic soprano. Must be able to do fast acrobatics with easy high notes. Many have extremely high ranges (with notes above the F of the " Queen of the Night"), but there are also singers in this ' who do not regularly sing higher than the high E6. * Roles: ** Adina, '' L'elisir d'amore'' ( Gaetano Donizetti) ** Aminta, ''
Die schweigsame Frau ''Die schweigsame Frau'' (''The Silent Woman''), Op. 80, is a 1935 comic opera in three acts by Richard Strauss with libretto by Stefan Zweig after Ben Jonson's '' Epicoene, or the Silent Woman''. Composition history Since ''Elektra'' and '' D ...
'' (
Richard Strauss Richard Georg Strauss (; 11 June 1864 – 8 September 1949) was a German composer, conductor, pianist, and violinist. Considered a leading composer of the late Romantic music, Romantic and early Modernism (music), modern eras, he has been descr ...
) ** Blonde, '' Die Entführung aus dem Serail'' ( Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) ** Cunegonde, '' Candide'' ( Leonard Bernstein) ** Frasquita, ''
Carmen ''Carmen'' () is an opera in four acts by the French composer Georges Bizet. The libretto was written by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, based on the novella of the same title by Prosper Mérimée. The opera was first performed by the Opér ...
'' ( Bizet) ** Juliette, '' Roméo et Juliette'' (
Gounod Charles-François Gounod (; ; 17 June 181818 October 1893), usually known as Charles Gounod, was a French composer. He wrote twelve operas, of which the most popular has always been ''Faust (opera), Faust'' (1859); his ''Roméo et Juliette'' (18 ...
) ** Marie, '' La fille du régiment'' (Gaetano Donizetti) ** Olympia, '' Les contes d'Hoffman'' (
Jacques Offenbach Jacques Offenbach (, also , , ; 20 June 18195 October 1880) was a German-born French composer, cellist and impresario of the Romantic period. He is remembered for his nearly 100 operettas of the 1850s to the 1870s, and his uncompleted opera ''T ...
) ** Oscar, '' Un ballo in maschera'' ( Giuseppe Verdi) ** Zerbinetta, ''
Ariadne auf Naxos (''Ariadne on Naxos''), Opus number, Op. 60, is a 1912 opera by Richard Strauss with a German libretto by Hugo von Hofmannsthal. The opera's unusual combination of elements of low commedia dell'arte with those of high opera seria points up one o ...
'' (
Richard Strauss Richard Georg Strauss (; 11 June 1864 – 8 September 1949) was a German composer, conductor, pianist, and violinist. Considered a leading composer of the late Romantic music, Romantic and early Modernism (music), modern eras, he has been descr ...
)


*English equivalent:
Dramatic coloratura soprano A coloratura soprano is a type of operatic soprano voice that specializes in music that is distinguished by agile runs, leaps and trills. The term ''coloratura'' refers to the elaborate ornamentation of a melody, which is a typical component of ...
*Range: From about middle C (C4) to the F two and a half octaves above middle C (F6) *Description: The same as above, only with a more dramatic, rich voice. Often heavier and more lyrical than a coloratura soprano. Must also be able to do fast vocal acrobatics and reach high notes, such as the F6 of the " Queen of the Night". *Roles: **Abigalle, '' Nabucco'' (Giuseppe Verdi) **Donna Anna, '' Don Giovanni'' ( Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) **Elvira, '' I puritani'' ( Vincenzo Bellini) **Fiordiligi, '' Così fan tutte'' (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) ** Gilda, ''
Rigoletto ''Rigoletto'' is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi. The Italian libretto was written by Francesco Maria Piave based on the 1832 play ''Le roi s'amuse'' by Victor Hugo. Despite serious initial problems with the Austrian censors who had cont ...
'' (Giuseppe Verdi) **Konstanze, '' Die Entführung aus dem Serail'' (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) **Leonora, '' Il trovatore'' (Giuseppe Verdi) **Norma, '' Norma'' (Vincenzo Bellini) **Odabella, ''
Attila Attila (, ; ), frequently called Attila the Hun, was the ruler of the Huns from 434 until his death in March 453. He was also the leader of a tribal empire consisting of Huns, Ostrogoths, Alans, and Bulgars, among others, in Central and ...
'' (Giuseppe Verdi) **The Queen of the Night, '' Die Zauberflöte'' (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) **Violetta, '' La traviata'' (Giuseppe Verdi) One must not mistake the Mozartian dramatic coloratura soprano with the Italian dramatic coloratura soprano. A singer that sings Konstanze, Donna Anna or Fiordiligi can not necessarily sing the Italian dramatic coloratura parts, due to other vocal demands. Imogene, Leonora and Violetta require a dramatic soprano voice and are most often sung by dramatic sopranos with an agile voice that can easily produce coloratura and high notes. Roles like Norma, Lady Macbeth, Odabella or Abigaille are good examples of Italian roles that are not necessarily a coloratura soprano (even though the score calls for coloratura singing), but a full bodied dramatic soprano with a voice that can handle extreme dramatic singing and that is flexible enough to sing coloratura. Giuseppe Verdi wrote many parts like this in his early years.


* English equivalent: Soubrette * Range: From about middle C (C4) to the C two octaves above middle C (C6) * Description: A beautiful, sweet light lyric voice usually capable of executing florid passages similarly to that of a coloratura. The range is usually intermediate between that of a coloratura and lyric soprano. Most sopranos start out as soubrettes, changing fach as the voice matures. * Roles: ** Adele, '' Die Fledermaus'' ( J. Strauss II) ** Barbarina, '' Le nozze di Figaro'' (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) ** Clotilde, '' Norma'' ( Vincenzo Bellini) ** Despina, '' Così fan tutte'' (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) ** Echo, ''
Ariadne auf Naxos (''Ariadne on Naxos''), Opus number, Op. 60, is a 1912 opera by Richard Strauss with a German libretto by Hugo von Hofmannsthal. The opera's unusual combination of elements of low commedia dell'arte with those of high opera seria points up one o ...
'' (Richard Strauss) ** Papagena, '' Die Zauberflöte'' (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) ** Servilia, '' La clemenza di Tito'' (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) ** Sophie, '' Der Rosenkavalier'' (Richard Strauss) ** Susanna, '' Le nozze di Figaro'' (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) ** Zerlina, '' Don Giovanni'' (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart)


* English equivalent: lyric soprano * Range: From about B below middle C (B3) to the C two octaves above middle C (C6) * Description: A more supple soprano, capable of legato, portamento, and some agility; generally has a more soulful and sensuous quality than a soubrette, who tends to be largely flirtatious and somewhat tweety. The voice is very common; thus the purity and character of the basic timbre is essential. It is the "basic" soprano voice which is at neither extremes of the soprano range of voices; it is not known for having particular vocal attributes such as power, stamina, technical prowess, or agility. However, there are several lyric sopranos that possess a quantity of many of these vocal attributes, thus allowing them to sing a broader variety of roles. Nevertheless, the core of the true fundamentally lyric voice does not encompass such traits. Innocence, vulnerability and pathos are usually conveyed in the music written for the characters portrayed by the lyric soprano because of this endearing simplicity. This fach is also famous because the voices usually remain especially fresh until advanced age. * Roles: ** Antonia, '' Les contes d'Hoffman'' (
Jacques Offenbach Jacques Offenbach (, also , , ; 20 June 18195 October 1880) was a German-born French composer, cellist and impresario of the Romantic period. He is remembered for his nearly 100 operettas of the 1850s to the 1870s, and his uncompleted opera ''T ...
) ** Gretel, ''
Hänsel und Gretel "Hansel and Gretel" (; german: Hänsel und Gretel ) is a German fairy tale collected by the German Brothers Grimm and published in 1812 in Grimms' Fairy Tales, ''Grimm's Fairy Tales'' (KHM 15). It is also known as Little Step Brother and Little ...
'' ( Engelbert Humperdinck) ** Lauretta, '' Gianni Schicchi '' (Giacomo Puccini) ** Liù, '' Turandot'' (Giacomo Puccini) ** Musetta, '' La Boheme'' (Giacomo Puccini) ** Micaëla, ''
Carmen ''Carmen'' () is an opera in four acts by the French composer Georges Bizet. The libretto was written by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, based on the novella of the same title by Prosper Mérimée. The opera was first performed by the Opér ...
'' (Georges Bizet) ** Pamina, '' Die Zauberflöte'' (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) ** Rusalka, '' Rusalka'' ( Antonín Dvořák) ** Sophie, '' Werther'' ( Jules Massenet) ** Susanna, '' Le nozze di Figaro'' (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart)


* English equivalent: lyric dramatic soprano * Range: From about A below middle C (A3) to the C two octaves above middle C (C6) * Description: The Italian version of this fach is the '' spinto'', which literally translated means pushed. However this is not accurate in terms of these singers' vocal production. A lyric dramatic soprano has a lyric instrument that can also create big sounds, cutting through an orchestral or choral climax. This voice is sometimes referred to as a "young" or "youthful" dramatic soprano although this term doesn't necessarily refer to the singer's age but rather to the tonal quality of the voice. This fach is more clearly delineated in the German system than in the American system. Depending on the singer, however, this voice type can be versatile, as it lies at neither extreme of the soprano spectrum. Spintos are occasionally able to take on lighter mezzo roles or conversely, lyric and even coloratura roles. * Roles: ** Agathe, '' Der Freischütz'' ( Carl Maria von Weber) ** Amelia, '' Un ballo in maschera'' (Giuseppe Verdi) ** Chrysothemis, ''
Elektra Electra was a daughter of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra in Greek mythology. Electra or Elektra may also refer to: Greek mythology *Electra (Pleiad), one of the Pleiades * Electra, one of the Danaids, daughter of Danaus and Polyxo * Electra (Oc ...
'' (Richard Strauss) ** Cio-Cio San, '' Madama Butterfly'' (
Giacomo Puccini Giacomo Puccini (Lucca, 22 December 1858Bruxelles, 29 November 1924) was an Italian composer known primarily for his operas. Regarded as the greatest and most successful proponent of Italian opera after Verdi, he was descended from a long l ...
) ** Donna Elvira, '' Don Giovanni'' ( Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) ** Elisabeth, '' Tannhäuser'' ( Richard Wagner) ** Elsa, '' Lohengrin'' (Richard Wagner) ** Maddalena, '' Andrea Chénier'' ( Umberto Giordano) ** Magda Sorel, '' The Consul'' ( Gian Carlo Menotti) ** Marie, '' Wozzeck'' ( Alban Berg) ** Marie/Marietta, '' Die tote Stadt'' (
Erich Wolfgang Korngold Erich Wolfgang Korngold (May 29, 1897November 29, 1957) was an Austrian-born American composer and conductor. A child prodigy, he became one of the most important and influential composers in history of Hollywood, Hollywood history. He was a no ...
) ** Suor Angelica, '' Suor Angelica'' (Giacomo Puccini)


* English equivalent: full dramatic soprano * Range: From about the A below middle C (A3) to the C two octaves above middle C (C6) * Description: Characterized by their rich, full sounding voices, dramatic sopranos are expected to project across large orchestras, a feat that requires a powerful sound. Dramatic sopranos are not expected to have the vocal flexibility of the lighter '. Although most dramatic sopranos have a darker, more robust quality to the voice, there are some that possess a lighter lyrical tone. In these instances, however, the substantial amount of volume and endurance normally associated with the dramatic soprano voice is still present. The darker voiced dramatic soprano may even make a foray into the dramatic mezzo-soprano territory with great success. * Roles: ** Ariadne, ''
Ariadne auf Naxos (''Ariadne on Naxos''), Opus number, Op. 60, is a 1912 opera by Richard Strauss with a German libretto by Hugo von Hofmannsthal. The opera's unusual combination of elements of low commedia dell'arte with those of high opera seria points up one o ...
'' (
Richard Strauss Richard Georg Strauss (; 11 June 1864 – 8 September 1949) was a German composer, conductor, pianist, and violinist. Considered a leading composer of the late Romantic music, Romantic and early Modernism (music), modern eras, he has been descr ...
) ** Cassandre, '' Les Troyens'' ( Hector Berlioz) ** Elektra, '' Elektra'' (
Richard Strauss Richard Georg Strauss (; 11 June 1864 – 8 September 1949) was a German composer, conductor, pianist, and violinist. Considered a leading composer of the late Romantic music, Romantic and early Modernism (music), modern eras, he has been descr ...
) ** La Gioconda, '' La Gioconda'' ( Amilcare Ponchielli) ** Leonore, '' Fidelio'' (
Ludwig van Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. Beethoven remains one of the most admired composers in the history of Western music; his works rank amongst the most performed of the classic ...
) ** Minnie, '' La fanciulla del West'' (
Giacomo Puccini Giacomo Puccini (Lucca, 22 December 1858Bruxelles, 29 November 1924) was an Italian composer known primarily for his operas. Regarded as the greatest and most successful proponent of Italian opera after Verdi, he was descended from a long l ...
) ** Santuzza, '' Cavalleria rusticana'' (
Pietro Mascagni Pietro Mascagni (7 December 1863 – 2 August 1945) was an Italian composer primarily known for his operas. His 1890 masterpiece ''Cavalleria rusticana'' caused one of the greatest sensations in opera history and single-handedly ushered in the ' ...
) ** Sieglinde, '' Die Walküre'' (Wagner) ** Tosca, ''
Tosca ''Tosca'' is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. It premiered at the Teatro Costanzi in Rome on 14 January 1900. The work, based on Victorien Sardou's 1887 French-language dr ...
'' (
Giacomo Puccini Giacomo Puccini (Lucca, 22 December 1858Bruxelles, 29 November 1924) was an Italian composer known primarily for his operas. Regarded as the greatest and most successful proponent of Italian opera after Verdi, he was descended from a long l ...
) ** Turandot, '' Turandot'' (
Giacomo Puccini Giacomo Puccini (Lucca, 22 December 1858Bruxelles, 29 November 1924) was an Italian composer known primarily for his operas. Regarded as the greatest and most successful proponent of Italian opera after Verdi, he was descended from a long l ...
)


* English equivalent: High dramatic soprano * Range: From about the F below middle C (F3) to the C two octaves above middle C (C6) * Description: A voice capable of answering the demands of operas of Wagner's maturity. The voice is substantial, very powerful, and even throughout the registers. It is immense, stentorian and even larger than the voice of the "normal" dramatic soprano. Although the two voices are comparable and are sometimes hard to distinguish between, this voice has even greater stamina, endurance and volume than the former. The top register is very strong, clarion and bright. Successful ' are rare. * Roles: ** Desdemona, ''
Otello ''Otello'' () is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Arrigo Boito, based on Shakespeare's play '' Othello''. It was Verdi's penultimate opera, first performed at the Teatro alla Scala, Milan, on 5 February 1887. ...
'' (Giuseppe Verdi) ** Eva, '' Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg'' ( Richard Wagner) ** Helmwige, '' Die Walküre'' (Richard Wagner) ** Giulietta, '' Les contes d'Hoffman (
Jacques Offenbach Jacques Offenbach (, also , , ; 20 June 18195 October 1880) was a German-born French composer, cellist and impresario of the Romantic period. He is remembered for his nearly 100 operettas of the 1850s to the 1870s, and his uncompleted opera ''T ...
)'' ** Liza, '' The Queen of Spades'' (
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky , group=n ( ; 7 May 1840 – 6 November 1893) was a Russian composer of the Romantic music, Romantic period. He was the first Russian composer Music of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, whose music would make a lasting impressi ...
) ** Marschallin, '' Der Rosenkavalier'' (
Richard Strauss Richard Georg Strauss (; 11 June 1864 – 8 September 1949) was a German composer, conductor, pianist, and violinist. Considered a leading composer of the late Romantic music, Romantic and early Modernism (music), modern eras, he has been descr ...
) ** Mimi, '' La bohème'' (Giacomo Puccini) ** Salome,'' Salome'' (
Richard Strauss Richard Georg Strauss (; 11 June 1864 – 8 September 1949) was a German composer, conductor, pianist, and violinist. Considered a leading composer of the late Romantic music, Romantic and early Modernism (music), modern eras, he has been descr ...
) ** Woglinde, '' Das Rheingold'' and '' Götterdämmerung'' (Richard Wagner) ** The woodbird, ''
Siegfried Siegfried is a German-language male given name, composed from the Germanic elements ''sig'' "victory" and ''frithu'' "protection, peace". The German name has the Old Norse cognate ''Sigfriðr, Sigfrøðr'', which gives rise to Swedish ''Sigfrid' ...
'' (Richard Wagner)


Mezzo-soprano '


* English equivalent: coloratura mezzo-soprano * Range: From about the G below middle C (G3) to the B two octaves above middle C (B5) * Description: Found especially in Rossini's operas, these roles were written originally for altos with agility and secure top notes. Today they are often played by mezzo-sopranos and sometimes even by sopranos. At times a lyric or full lyric soprano with a flexible voice will assume the roles as written while a true coloratura soprano will sing the same music transposed to a higher key. * Roles: ** Angelina, '' La Cenerentola'' (Gioachino Rossini) ** Griselda, ''
Griselda Griselda is a feminine given name from Germanic sources that is now used in English, Italian, and Spanish as well. According to the 1990 United States Census, the name was 1066th in popularity among females in the United States. It has been ...
'' ( Vivaldi) ** Isabella, '' L'italiana in Algeri'' (Gioachino Rossini) ** Isolier, '' Le comte Ory'' (Rossini) ** Julius Caesar, '' Giulio Cesare'' (Handel) ** Orsini, '' Lucrezia Borgia'' ( Donizetti) ** Romeo, '' I Capuleti e i Montecchi'' ( Vincenzo Bellini) ** Ruggiero, '' Alcina'' (Handel) ** Rosina, '' Il barbiere di Siviglia'' ( Gioachino Rossini) ** Tancredi, '' Tancredi'' (Gioacchino Rossini)


* Range: From about the G below middle C (G3) to the B two octaves above middle C (B5) * English equivalent:
lyric mezzo-soprano A mezzo-soprano or mezzo (; ; meaning "half soprano") is a type of classical female singing voice whose vocal range lies between the soprano and the contralto voice types. The mezzo-soprano's vocal range usually extends from the A below middle C ...
* Description: A lyric mezzo soprano's instrument in a lower range; the resulting sound is less piercing, more lachrymose and rather sensitive. The voices are similar, giving rise to the term 'short soprano' i.e. a soprano without the highest notes. In fact, many lyric mezzos with strong extensions to their upper vocal registers make the transition to singing as sopranos at some point in their careers. * Roles: ** Charlotte, '' Werther'' ( Massenet) ** Cherubino, '' Le nozze di Figaro'' ( Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) ** Dorabella, '' Così fan tutte'' (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) ** Hänsel, ''
Hänsel und Gretel "Hansel and Gretel" (; german: Hänsel und Gretel ) is a German fairy tale collected by the German Brothers Grimm and published in 1812 in Grimms' Fairy Tales, ''Grimm's Fairy Tales'' (KHM 15). It is also known as Little Step Brother and Little ...
'' ( Engelbert Humperdinck) ** Marguerite, '' La damnation de Faust'' ( Berlioz) ** Meg, '' Little Women'' ( Mark Adamo) ** Mignon, '' Mignon'' ( Ambroise Thomas) ** Nicklausse, '' Les contes d'Hoffman'' ( Offenbach) ** Mother, '' Amahl and the Night Visitors'' (
Menotti Menotti may refer to the following people: ;Given name *Menotti Aristone (c.1942–2013), American jockey *Menotti de Tomazzo Sobrinho (born 1943), Brazilian football player *Menotti Del Picchia (1892–1988), Brazilian poet, journalist and painte ...
) ** Suzuki, '' Madama Butterfly'' (
Giacomo Puccini Giacomo Puccini (Lucca, 22 December 1858Bruxelles, 29 November 1924) was an Italian composer known primarily for his operas. Regarded as the greatest and most successful proponent of Italian opera after Verdi, he was descended from a long l ...
)


* English equivalent: dramatic mezzo-soprano * Range: From about the G below middle C (G3) to the B two octaves above middle C (B5) * Description: Dramatic mezzo-sopranos have ranges very similar to a dramatic soprano. The main difference is the endurance and ease in which the two voice-types sing – a mezzo will concentrate singing most of the time in her middle and low registers and will go up to notes like high B-flat only at the dramatic climax. Consequently, many dramatic mezzo-sopranos have success in singing some dramatic soprano roles that are written with a lower tessitura. * Roles: ** Amneris, ''
Aida ''Aida'' (or ''Aïda'', ) is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni. Set in the Old Kingdom of Egypt, it was commissioned by Cairo's Khedivial Opera House and had its première there on 24 Decemb ...
'' (Giuseppe Verdi) ** Dido, ''Les Troyens'' (Hector Berlioz) ** The Composer, ''
Ariadne auf Naxos (''Ariadne on Naxos''), Opus number, Op. 60, is a 1912 opera by Richard Strauss with a German libretto by Hugo von Hofmannsthal. The opera's unusual combination of elements of low commedia dell'arte with those of high opera seria points up one o ...
'' (Richard Strauss) ** Dalila, '' Samson et Dalila'' ( Camille Saint-Saëns) ** Eboli, '' Don Carlo'' (Giuseppe Verdi) ** Fricka, '' Das Rheingold'', '' Die Walküre'' (Richard Wagner) ** Gertrud, ''
Hänsel und Gretel "Hansel and Gretel" (; german: Hänsel und Gretel ) is a German fairy tale collected by the German Brothers Grimm and published in 1812 in Grimms' Fairy Tales, ''Grimm's Fairy Tales'' (KHM 15). It is also known as Little Step Brother and Little ...
'' (Engelbert Humperdinck) ** Klytaemnestra, ''
Elektra Electra was a daughter of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra in Greek mythology. Electra or Elektra may also refer to: Greek mythology *Electra (Pleiad), one of the Pleiades * Electra, one of the Danaids, daughter of Danaus and Polyxo * Electra (Oc ...
'' (
Richard Strauss Richard Georg Strauss (; 11 June 1864 – 8 September 1949) was a German composer, conductor, pianist, and violinist. Considered a leading composer of the late Romantic music, Romantic and early Modernism (music), modern eras, he has been descr ...
) ** Octavian, '' Der Rosenkavalier'' (
Richard Strauss Richard Georg Strauss (; 11 June 1864 – 8 September 1949) was a German composer, conductor, pianist, and violinist. Considered a leading composer of the late Romantic music, Romantic and early Modernism (music), modern eras, he has been descr ...
) ** Ortrud, '' Lohengrin'' ( Richard Wagner)


Contralto '


* English equivalent:
dramatic contralto A contralto () is a type of classical female singing voice whose vocal range is the lowest female voice type. The contralto's vocal range is fairly rare; similar to the mezzo-soprano, and almost identical to that of a countertenor, typically b ...
* Range: From about the F below middle C (F3) to the G or A two octaves above (G–A5) * Description: Stylistically similar to the dramatic mezzo, just lower. Sings usually around the break between the chest voice and middle voice. Many mezzos tried their luck in these roles, yet real altos fare better. A deep, penetrating low female voice. This is a very rare voice type with a darker, richer sound than that of a typical alto. * Roles: ** Azucena, '' Il trovatore'' (Verdi) ** Carmen, ''
Carmen ''Carmen'' () is an opera in four acts by the French composer Georges Bizet. The libretto was written by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, based on the novella of the same title by Prosper Mérimée. The opera was first performed by the Opér ...
'' ( Bizet) ** La Cieca, ''La Gioconda'' (Ponchielli) ** Dryade, ''
Ariadne auf Naxos (''Ariadne on Naxos''), Opus number, Op. 60, is a 1912 opera by Richard Strauss with a German libretto by Hugo von Hofmannsthal. The opera's unusual combination of elements of low commedia dell'arte with those of high opera seria points up one o ...
'' (Richard Strauss) ** Erda, '' Das Rheingold,
Siegfried Siegfried is a German-language male given name, composed from the Germanic elements ''sig'' "victory" and ''frithu'' "protection, peace". The German name has the Old Norse cognate ''Sigfriðr, Sigfrøðr'', which gives rise to Swedish ''Sigfrid' ...
'' ( Wagner) ** Maddalena, ''
Rigoletto ''Rigoletto'' is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi. The Italian libretto was written by Francesco Maria Piave based on the 1832 play ''Le roi s'amuse'' by Victor Hugo. Despite serious initial problems with the Austrian censors who had cont ...
'' (Verdi) ** A norn, '' Götterdämmerung'' (Wagner) ** Polina, '' The Queen of Spades'' (Tchaikovsky) ** Schwertleite, '' Die Walküre'' (Wagner) ** Ulrica, '' Un ballo in maschera'' (Verdi)


* English equivalent: low contralto * Range: From about the E below middle C (E3) to the E two octaves above (E5) * Description: A low female voice. * Roles: ** Anna, '' Les Troyens'' ( Hector Berlioz) ** Annina, '' Der Rosenkavalier'' (
Richard Strauss Richard Georg Strauss (; 11 June 1864 – 8 September 1949) was a German composer, conductor, pianist, and violinist. Considered a leading composer of the late Romantic music, Romantic and early Modernism (music), modern eras, he has been descr ...
) ** Antonia's mother, '' Tales of Hoffmann'' (Jacques Offenbach) ** Bradamante, '' Alcina'' ( Handel) ** Didone, '' Egisto'' (
Cavalli Cavalli is an Italian surname, literally meaning "horses", and may refer to: * Aldo Cavalli (born 1946), Italian bishop * Cade Cavalli (born 1998), American baseball player *Francesco Cavalli (1602-1676), Italian 17th-century composer * Hans Cavall ...
) ** Gaea, '' Daphne'' (
Richard Strauss Richard Georg Strauss (; 11 June 1864 – 8 September 1949) was a German composer, conductor, pianist, and violinist. Considered a leading composer of the late Romantic music, Romantic and early Modernism (music), modern eras, he has been descr ...
) ** Geneviève, '' Pelléas et Mélisande'' ( Claude Debussy) ** Hippolyta, '' A Midsummer Night's Dream'' ( Britten) ** Marthe, '' Faust'' ( Charles Gounod) ** Zita, '' Gianni Schicchi'' (
Giacomo Puccini Giacomo Puccini (Lucca, 22 December 1858Bruxelles, 29 November 1924) was an Italian composer known primarily for his operas. Regarded as the greatest and most successful proponent of Italian opera after Verdi, he was descended from a long l ...
)


Tenor A tenor is a type of classical male singing voice whose vocal range lies between the countertenor and baritone voice types. It is the highest male chest voice type. The tenor's vocal range extends up to C5. The low extreme for tenors i ...
'


/ Tenor buffo

* English equivalent: (lyric) comic tenor. It is quite possible for a young ' to eventually work into the lighter ' category; the deciding factor will be the beauty of voice. * Range: From about low C (C3) to the B an octave above middle C (B4) * Roles: ** Monostatos, '' Die Zauberflöte'' ( Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) ** Pedrillo, '' Die Entführung aus dem Serail'' (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart)


* English equivalent: character tenor; must have good acting abilities. * Range: From about the B below low C (B2) to the C an octave above middle C (C5)


* English equivalent: lyric tenor * Range: From about low C (C3) to the C an octave above middle C (C5) * Roles: ** Alfredo, '' La traviata'' ( Giuseppe Verdi) ** Almaviva, '' Il barbiere di Siviglia'' ( Gioachino Rossini) ** Belmonte, '' Die Entführung aus dem Serail'' ( Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) ** Don Ottavio, '' Don Giovanni'' (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) ** Il Duca, ''
Rigoletto ''Rigoletto'' is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi. The Italian libretto was written by Francesco Maria Piave based on the 1832 play ''Le roi s'amuse'' by Victor Hugo. Despite serious initial problems with the Austrian censors who had cont ...
'' (Giuseppe Verdi) ** Lindoro, '' L'italiana in Algeri'' (Gioachino Rossini) ** Nemorino, '' L'elisir d'amore'' ( Gaetano Donizetti) ** Ramiro, '' La Cenerentola'' (Gioachino Rossini) ** Tamino, '' Die Zauberflöte'' (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart)


* English equivalent: lyric dramatic tenor also known as Spinto * Range: From about low C (C3) to the C an octave above middle C (C5) * Description: A tenor with a dramatic extended upper range with the necessary brightness to come through the orchestra's texture. * Roles: ** Calaf, '' Turandot'' (
Giacomo Puccini Giacomo Puccini (Lucca, 22 December 1858Bruxelles, 29 November 1924) was an Italian composer known primarily for his operas. Regarded as the greatest and most successful proponent of Italian opera after Verdi, he was descended from a long l ...
) ** Canio, '' Pagliacci'' ( Ruggero Leoncavallo) ** Cavaradossi, ''
Tosca ''Tosca'' is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. It premiered at the Teatro Costanzi in Rome on 14 January 1900. The work, based on Victorien Sardou's 1887 French-language dr ...
'' (Giacomo Puccini) ** Dick Johnson, '' La fanciulla del West'' (Giacomo Puccini) ** Don Alvaro, '' La forza del destino'' (Giuseppe Verdi) ** Don José, ''
Carmen ''Carmen'' () is an opera in four acts by the French composer Georges Bizet. The libretto was written by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, based on the novella of the same title by Prosper Mérimée. The opera was first performed by the Opér ...
'' (
Georges Bizet Georges Bizet (; 25 October 18383 June 1875) was a French composer of the Romantic era. Best known for his operas in a career cut short by his early death, Bizet achieved few successes before his final work, '' Carmen'', which has become ...
) ** Florestan, '' Fidelio'' (
Ludwig van Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. Beethoven remains one of the most admired composers in the history of Western music; his works rank amongst the most performed of the classic ...
) ** Idomeneo, '' Idomeneo'' ( Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) ** Lohengrin, '' Lohengrin'' ( Richard Wagner) ** Manrico, '' Il trovatore'' (Giuseppe Verdi) ** Max, '' Der Freischütz'' ( Carl Maria von Weber) ** Radamès, ''
Aida ''Aida'' (or ''Aïda'', ) is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni. Set in the Old Kingdom of Egypt, it was commissioned by Cairo's Khedivial Opera House and had its première there on 24 Decemb ...
'' ( Giuseppe Verdi) ** Siegmund, '' Die Walküre'' ( Richard Wagner)


* English equivalent: heroic tenor or dramatic tenor * Range: From about the B below low C (B2) to the C above middle C (C5) * Description: A full dramatic tenor with baritonal facility in the middle range and the brightness necessary to pierce a thick orchestral texture. * Roles: ** Otello, ''
Otello ''Otello'' () is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Arrigo Boito, based on Shakespeare's play '' Othello''. It was Verdi's penultimate opera, first performed at the Teatro alla Scala, Milan, on 5 February 1887. ...
'' ( Giuseppe Verdi) ** Siegfried, '' Der Ring des Nibelungen'' ( Richard Wagner) ** Tristan, '' Tristan und Isolde'' (Richard Wagner) ** Tannhäuser, '' Tannhäuser'' (Richard Wagner) ** Walther von Stolzing, '' Die Meistersinger'' (Richard Wagner)


Baritone '


/

* Italian: baritono leggero * English equivalent: light baritone * Range: From the low C (C3) to the B above middle C (B4) * Description: The Baryton-Martin, named after Jean-Blaise Martin (sometimes referred to as Light Baritone) lacks the lower G2–B2 range a heavier baritone is capable of, and has a lighter, almost tenor-like quality.


* Italian: baritono lirico * English equivalent: lyric baritone * Range: From about the B below low C (B2) to the A above middle C (A4) * Description: A sweet, mild sounding baritone voice, lacking harshness. Many lyric baritone roles call for some fioritura and coloratura, a beautiful line, as well as a charismatic presence. * Roles: ** Albert, '' Werther'' ( Jules Massenet) ** Belcore, '' L'elisir d'amore'' ( Gaetano Donizetti) ** Billy Budd, '' Billy Budd'' (
Benjamin Britten Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten (22 November 1913 – 4 December 1976, aged 63) was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He was a central figure of 20th-century British music, with a range of works including opera, other ...
) ** Dottore Malatesta, '' Don Pasquale'' (Gaetano Donizetti) ** Figaro, '' Il barbiere di Siviglia'' ( Gioachino Rossini) ** Guglielmo, '' Così fan tutte'' (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) ** Papageno, '' Die Zauberflöte'' (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart)


* Italian: baritono cantabile * English equivalent: cavalier baritone * Range: From about the A below low C (A2) to the G above middle C (G4) * Description: A metallic voice, that can sing both lyric and dramatic phrases, a manly noble baritonal color; most on-stage roles in this ''Fach'' call for good looks. Not quite as vocally powerful as the Verdi baritone or ', who is expected to have a powerful, perhaps muscular or physically large, appearance on stage and has a harsher, more pronounced than the lyric baritone or ''Spielbariton''. * Roles: ** Conte Almaviva, '' Le nozze di Figaro'' ( Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) ** Count, '' Capriccio'' (
Richard Strauss Richard Georg Strauss (; 11 June 1864 – 8 September 1949) was a German composer, conductor, pianist, and violinist. Considered a leading composer of the late Romantic music, Romantic and early Modernism (music), modern eras, he has been descr ...
) ** Don Giovanni, '' Don Giovanni'' (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) ** Escamillo, ''
Carmen ''Carmen'' () is an opera in four acts by the French composer Georges Bizet. The libretto was written by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, based on the novella of the same title by Prosper Mérimée. The opera was first performed by the Opér ...
'' (Georges Bizet) ** Ford, '' Falstaff'' (Giuseppe Verdi) ** Lescaut, '' Manon Lescaut'' (
Giacomo Puccini Giacomo Puccini (Lucca, 22 December 1858Bruxelles, 29 November 1924) was an Italian composer known primarily for his operas. Regarded as the greatest and most successful proponent of Italian opera after Verdi, he was descended from a long l ...
) ** Lord Enrico Ashton, '' Lucia di Lammermoor'' ( Gaetano Donizetti) ** Marcello, '' La bohème'' (
Giacomo Puccini Giacomo Puccini (Lucca, 22 December 1858Bruxelles, 29 November 1924) was an Italian composer known primarily for his operas. Regarded as the greatest and most successful proponent of Italian opera after Verdi, he was descended from a long l ...
) ** Onegin, '' Eugene Onegin'' (
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky , group=n ( ; 7 May 1840 – 6 November 1893) was a Russian composer of the Romantic music, Romantic period. He was the first Russian composer Music of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, whose music would make a lasting impressi ...
) ** Rodrigo de Posa, '' Don Carlo'' (Giuseppe Verdi) ** Sharpless, '' Madama Butterfly'' (Giacomo Puccini) ** Valentin, '' Faust'' ( Charles Gounod) ** Wolfram von Eschenbach, '' Tannhäuser'' ( Richard Wagner)


* Italian: baritono verdiano * English equivalent: Verdi baritone * Range: From about the A below low C (A2) to the G above middle C (G4) * Description: A voice particularly effective with passages in its higher reaches. A high tessitura vis-a-vis the range extremes. A Verdi baritone refers to a voice capable of singing consistently and with ease in the highest part of the baritone range, sometimes extending up to the C above middle C (C5 or high C). The Verdi baritone will generally have a lot of '' squillo'', or "ping" * Roles: ** Scarpia, ''
Tosca ''Tosca'' is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. It premiered at the Teatro Costanzi in Rome on 14 January 1900. The work, based on Victorien Sardou's 1887 French-language dr ...
'' (Giacomo Puccini) ** '' Wozzeck'' (title role) ( Alban Berg)


* Italian: baritono drammatico * English equivalent: dramatic baritone * Range: From about the G below low C (G2) to the F above middle C (F4) * Description: Means 'heroic baritone'. In the German opera houses a true ' is a prized possession: a singer with exciting power and an authoritative mature sound and production. * Roles: ** Alfio, '' Cavalleria rusticana'' (
Pietro Mascagni Pietro Mascagni (7 December 1863 – 2 August 1945) was an Italian composer primarily known for his operas. His 1890 masterpiece ''Cavalleria rusticana'' caused one of the greatest sensations in opera history and single-handedly ushered in the ' ...
) ** Amonasro, ''
Aida ''Aida'' (or ''Aïda'', ) is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni. Set in the Old Kingdom of Egypt, it was commissioned by Cairo's Khedivial Opera House and had its première there on 24 Decemb ...
'' ( Giuseppe Verdi) ** Dr Schön / Jack the Ripper, '' Lulu'' ( Alban Berg)Facsimile of score of ''Lulu'' from Universal Edition
/ref> ** Ezio,
Attila Attila (, ; ), frequently called Attila the Hun, was the ruler of the Huns from 434 until his death in March 453. He was also the leader of a tribal empire consisting of Huns, Ostrogoths, Alans, and Bulgars, among others, in Central and ...
(Giuseppe Verdi) ** Gérard, '' Andrea Chénier'' ( Umberto Giordano) ** Iago, ''
Otello ''Otello'' () is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Arrigo Boito, based on Shakespeare's play '' Othello''. It was Verdi's penultimate opera, first performed at the Teatro alla Scala, Milan, on 5 February 1887. ...
'' (Giuseppe Verdi) ** Jack Rance, '' La fanciulla del West'' (
Giacomo Puccini Giacomo Puccini (Lucca, 22 December 1858Bruxelles, 29 November 1924) was an Italian composer known primarily for his operas. Regarded as the greatest and most successful proponent of Italian opera after Verdi, he was descended from a long l ...
) ** Jochanaan, '' Salome'' (
Richard Strauss Richard Georg Strauss (; 11 June 1864 – 8 September 1949) was a German composer, conductor, pianist, and violinist. Considered a leading composer of the late Romantic music, Romantic and early Modernism (music), modern eras, he has been descr ...
) ** '' Macbeth'' (title role) (Giuseppe Verdi) ** Michele, '' Il tabarro'' (Giacomo Puccini) ** Don Pizarro, '' Fidelio'' (
Ludwig van Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. Beethoven remains one of the most admired composers in the history of Western music; his works rank amongst the most performed of the classic ...
) ** '' Simon Boccanegra'' (title role) (Giuseppe Verdi) ** Telramund, '' Lohengrin'' ( Richard Wagner) ** Tonio, '' Pagliacci'' ( Ruggero Leoncavallo)


/ Low lyric baritone

* English equivalent: lyric
bass-baritone A bass-baritone is a high-lying bass or low-lying "classical" baritone voice type which shares certain qualities with the true baritone voice. The term arose in the late 19th century to describe the particular type of voice required to sing thre ...
* Range: From about the G below low C (G2) to the F above middle C (F4) * Description: The bass-baritone's required range can vary tremendously based on the role, with some less demanding than others. Some bass-baritones are baritones, while others are basses.


/ Low dramatic baritone

* English equivalent: dramatic bass-baritone * Range: From about the G below low C (G2) to the F above middle C (F4)


Bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in the bass range: ** Bass (instrument), including: ** Acoustic bass gui ...


Basso cantante / Lyric bass-bariton / High lyric bass

* English equivalent: lyric bass-baritone or singing bass * Range: From about the E below low C (E2) to the F above middle C (F4) * ''Basso cantante'' means 'singing bass'.Bass Guide
BBC Wales


/ Dramatic bass-baritone / High dramatic bass

* English equivalent: dramatic bass-baritone * Range: From about the E below low C (E2) to the F above middle C (F4)


* English equivalent: young bass * Range: From about the E below low C (E2) to the F above middle C (F4) * Description: A young man (regardless of the age of the singer).


/ Bassbuffo / Lyric buffo

* English equivalent: lyric comic bass * Range: From about the E half an octave below low C (E2) to the F above middle C (F4) * Roles: ** Don Alfonso, '' Così fan tutte'' ( Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) ** Don Pasquale, '' Don Pasquale'' ( Gaetano Donizetti) ** Dottor Dulcamara, '' L'elisir d'amore'' (Gaetano Donizetti) ** Don Bartolo, '' Il barbiere di Siviglia'' ( Gioachino Rossini) ** Don Magnifico, '' La Cenerentola'' (Gioachino Rossini) ** Leporello, '' Don Giovanni'' (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) ** The Sacristan ''Tosca'' (
Giacomo Puccini Giacomo Puccini (Lucca, 22 December 1858Bruxelles, 29 November 1924) was an Italian composer known primarily for his operas. Regarded as the greatest and most successful proponent of Italian opera after Verdi, he was descended from a long l ...
)


/ Dramatic buffo

* English equivalent: dramatic comic bass * Range: From about the C two octaves below middle C (C2) to the F above middle C (F4) * Roles: ** Baron Ochs auf Lerchenau, '' Der Rosenkavalier'' (
Richard Strauss Richard Georg Strauss (; 11 June 1864 – 8 September 1949) was a German composer, conductor, pianist, and violinist. Considered a leading composer of the late Romantic music, Romantic and early Modernism (music), modern eras, he has been descr ...
) ** Daland, '' Der fliegende Holländer'' ( Richard Wagner) ** Méphistophélès, '' Faust'' ( Charles Gounod)


* English equivalent: low bass. Italian: basso profondo. * Range: From about the C two octaves below middle C (C2) to the F above middle C (F4) * ''Basso profondo'' is the lowest bass voice type. According to J. B. Steane in ''Voices, Singers, and Critics'', the basso profondo voice "derives from a method of tone-production that eliminates the more Italian quick vibrato. In its place is a kind of tonal solidity, a wall-like front, which may nevertheless prove susceptible to the other kind of vibrato, the slow beat or dreaded wobble." * Roles: ** Don Bartolo, '' Le nozze di Figaro'' (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) ** Fiesco, '' Simon Boccanegra'' (Giuseppe Verdi) ** Padre Guardiano, '' La forza del destino'' (Giuseppe Verdi) ** Pimen, '' Boris Godunov'' ( Modest Mussorgsky) ** Rocco, '' Fidelio'' (
Ludwig van Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. Beethoven remains one of the most admired composers in the history of Western music; his works rank amongst the most performed of the classic ...
) ** Sarastro, '' Die Zauberflöte'' (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) ** Sir Morosus, ''
Die schweigsame Frau ''Die schweigsame Frau'' (''The Silent Woman''), Op. 80, is a 1935 comic opera in three acts by Richard Strauss with libretto by Stefan Zweig after Ben Jonson's '' Epicoene, or the Silent Woman''. Composition history Since ''Elektra'' and '' D ...
'' (Richard Strauss) ** Sparafucile, ''
Rigoletto ''Rigoletto'' is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi. The Italian libretto was written by Francesco Maria Piave based on the 1832 play ''Le roi s'amuse'' by Victor Hugo. Despite serious initial problems with the Austrian censors who had cont ...
'' ( Giuseppe Verdi)


* English equivalent: dramatic low bass. Dramatic basso profundo is a powerful basso profundo voice. * Range: From about the C two octaves below middle C (C2) to the F above middle C (F4) * Roles: ** Il Commendatore (Don Pedro), '' Don Giovanni'' ( Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) ** Fafner, '' Das Rheingold'', ''
Siegfried Siegfried is a German-language male given name, composed from the Germanic elements ''sig'' "victory" and ''frithu'' "protection, peace". The German name has the Old Norse cognate ''Sigfriðr, Sigfrøðr'', which gives rise to Swedish ''Sigfrid' ...
'' (Richard Wagner) ** The Grand Inquisitor, '' Don Carlos'' ( Giuseppe Verdi) ** Gurnemanz, Titurel, '' Parsifal'' (Richard Wagner) ** Heinrich, '' Lohengrin'' (Richard Wagner) ** Marke, '' Tristan und Isolde'' (Richard Wagner)


References


Bibliography

* * McGinnis, Pearl Yeadon. ''The opera singer’s career guide: understanding the European Fach system'', edited by Marith McGinnis Willis. (Scarecrow Press, 2010) * Midgette, Anne (6 May 2007)
"Home in the Range? Who Can Sing What"
''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
''. Retrieved 1 November 2012. * Steane, J. B. "Fach" in '' The New Grove Dictionary of Opera'', ed. Stanley Sadie (London, 1992) {{Vocal music * Opera terminology Music classification