The Role of Voice Part in Opera

In traditional operatic terms, vocal range is not just the highest and lowest note that a singer can hit; rather, it is the range between the highest and lowest note that can be projected clearly with the style of tone expected by that voice part in opera. The voice parts, or classifications if you will, from lowest to highest are: Bass, Baritone, Tenor, Countertenor for men; Alto, Contralto, Mezzo-Soprano, Soprano for women. Some variations exist between these classifications, but are more regional rather than standardized within the music world.

Within classical opera, this projectable voice range will most likely determine what type of role can be played by the singer.

Basses have traditionally been used in two general types of roles: supporting and comedic. Within an opera serio, a bass singer will most likely be playing a supporting role to the protagonists of the story. It might be a trusted friend, advisor, or relative, most likely older than the protagonists. The vocal depth and deeper voice provide a sense of authority easily understood in interactions on stage. In lighter operas, a bass singer may be performing comic relief. The basso buffo, or funny bass, is commonly seen in Bel Canto (beautifully sung) operas playing the villain. The roles require the higher range of the bass voice with more vibrato than is usually heard from bass singers.

Within the history of opera, baritone is a recent classification. It did not become popularized until the mid-nineteenth century, though baritones still have their role in a classic opera tradition. They can play many of the higher bass roles in Bel Canto operas, as well as earlier tenor roles before composers extended the expected range of those parts.

Tenors, during the Classical period, became the preferred voice part for the male lead. These roles can require a light and fast touch (leggierio tenor) to a darker tone with stronger projection (dramatic tenor). Less common is the tenor buffo, requiring a tenor skilled at adopting a wide variety of vocal characteristics for comedic effect.

Countertenors can perform the same roles as tenors, but are more commonly used now to perform the roles written for castrati. During the development of opera, young men were sometimes castrated to extend their vocal range for the purpose of demanding music. Countertenors, capable of singing the same range as altos or even mezzo-sopranos, can perform these roles in full voice or in falsetto (if the falsetto is strong).

Countraltos and altos have the smallest range of parts available to them. The deeper quality of the voice and limited upper range made them less desirable to many composers as the preferred female voice was the soprano. They tend to play darker roles, including witches and wicked women, though they have also been dressed as men to sing the roles originally written for countertenors and castrati.

Mezzo-sopranos are best suited to earlier operas, where the compositional emphasis was placed on the quality and skill used rather than the range of the voice. Still, many mezzo-sopranos are able to play the leading lady roles given to sopranos.

Sopranos, like the tenors, are traditionally written in the leading role. During the Classical era, the written vocal parts were pushed to higher registers for dramatic effect. There are numerous varieties of soprano roles, requiring different tones and vocal styles, though one thing remains the same: the soprano must be able to project in the higher register. While many think of sopranos as having light voices, it is merely a misconception.

Opera is defined by the standard roles related to vocal range. While modern composers have experimented with these traditions, the development of opera as we know it today was based in a strict categorization of parts.