Vocal weight
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Vocal weight refers to a voice's ability to handle changes in vocal dynamic. Weight is often determined by the thickness of the vocal cords. All voices can sing loudly or softly to some degree, but different voices handle changes in dynamic differently. A voice can be said to have a dramatic or lyric quality.
The fach system exists so singers are able to sing roles at an appropriate timbre and weight, so they will be heard in a theatre without having microphones. It should be noted that fach is often contested over, and there are many singers who can sing roles outside of their fach.
Female voices
Soprano categories:
- Soubrette - A very light yet bright, sweet soprano voice, that is best in the middle voice. The roles a soubrette plays are usually fun, flirty characters like Mozart's Despina. Soubrette roles are often covered by light lyrics and lyric coloraturas as well. In popular music, a soubrette can be considered a female soprano that sings best in middle voice with no strenuous vocal dynamics. Examples include Kathleen Battle, Barbara Bonney, Ileana Cotrubaş, and Alison Hagley.
- Coloratura - When referring to coloratura sopranos, infers the ability to execute notes well above Soprano C, and can sing in whistle register. See coloratura for more information. There are a few subtypes:
- *Lyric - A light soprano which has a large upper extension and ability for coloratura. Sings roles like Lakme and Olympia, though sometimes lyric coloraturas cover dramatic coloratura roles as well. Soul music lyric coloraturas adlib, employ runs, trills, and melismatic singing and sing well above High C. Popular music singers have abilities in whistle register. Examples would be Natalie Dessay and Patrizia Ciofi.
- *Dramatic - Is powerful enough to sound dramatic, but unlike many other voice types, agility is not compromised and so, can execute vocal acrobatics and melismas. Can span at least three octaves and can sustain coloratura. In classical music, it can sing over the orchestra with ease and agility. Examples are Joan Sutherland and Maria Callas.
- Lyric - This voice is smooth and mellow. When a Lyric voice becomes loud, it can sound strenuous or very pushed. As a result, it does not like to sing loudly frequently. Agility and crisp diction are its strong points. In opera, characters with lyric voices are generally more vulnerable. The voice usually consists of a warm, full, graceful sound which can be heard over an orchestra. Subcategories of this would be full lyric and light lyric. Full lyrics have fairly heavier voices and sing roles like Puccini's Mimi. Lighter lyrics, which can often be covered by soubrettes, cover roles like Mozart's Pamina. An example of a full lyric would be Mirella Freni. A lighter lyric would be someone like Nicole Cabell.
- Spinto - This voice has a more robust and full sound compared to a lyric voice. It can be pushed (hence its Italian name) to dramatic climaxes, but also has a very lyric quality. It handles vocal dynamic changes very well. In opera this voice is often considered a "baby" dramatic; a larger voice but not quite to the level of dramatic. Many spintos will develop into dramatics later into their careers. An example of a spinto role is Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni. Renee Fleming is arguably a spinto at this point in her career and Kelly Rowland of Destiny's Child can be classified as a spinto soprano because of the power of her voice but the lyric quality that reaches soprano standards.
- Dramatic - This voice can sing over the orchestra, the choir, and any other accompaniments. As the vocal chords are thicker, agility is usually compromised. Singers who are classified as having dramatic voices have very strong, vigorous and puissant singing voices. In opera, characters with dramatic voices are usually strong, heroic, and frequently tragic. A very powerful and large voice which can be heard over full orchestras; sings roles such as Turandot, Isolde, and Brunhilde. Examples of dramatic sopranos would be Helen Traubel, Birgit Nilsson, and Kirsten Flagstad.
Mezzo sopranos have similar ranges to sopranos, but darker timbres. The following subcategories apply to them:
- Lyric - A lighter, smaller mezzo voice. Can have a range up to, or even above High C, but has difficulties singing above an orchestra and often has a metallic tonal quality in the upper register. Can often sing pants roles like Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro, but can also sing roles like Alisa in Lucia di Lammermoor and Dorabella in Cosi fan tutte. Examples would be Cecilia Bartoli and Marilyn Horne].
- Dramatic - Fuller sound than a lyric mezzo, often with a somewhat lower range, but the voice itself is larger. Can sing above an orchestra, chorus and so on with ease. Sings roles like Amneris in Aida and the title role of Carmen.
- Contralto - Deep and dark voice; true contraltos are very rare. Sings roles like Azucena in Il Trovatore. A prominent contemporary example of this vocal type is Eva Podles.
Male voices
Male voices can be divided into tenor and baritone/bass.Tenor categories:
- Leggiero - The male equivalent of a lyric coloratura, this tenor voice is very light and is capable of reaching high notes. Roles include Count Almaviva in Il barbiere di Siviglia, Gerald in Lakmé, Tonio in La fille du régiment, and Ferrando in Cosi fan tutte. An example of a tenor leggiero would be Gregory Kunde.
- Lyric - A strong yet not heavy voice with range up to C5. Sings roles like Rodolfo in La Boheme and The Duke in Rigoletto. An example of a lyric tenor would be Plácido Domingo.
- Spinto - Heavier than a lyric but not quite a dramatic. Sings roles like Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly and Don José in Carmen.
- Heldentenor - A rich, loud and dramatic voice capable of singing to the low G or A below Middle C and execute the Tenor C (or B one step below) effortlessly. Traslates to "heroic-tenor," and thus requires that the singers in the role actually exhibit on-stage drama of some type. Thus the inclusion of any pop singer in this category is severely misguided, as any Heldentenor does, by nature, sing in a musico-drama setting. This vocal fach is often endemic to German Romantic operatic repetoire (i.e. Wagner, Beethoven's Florestan). This voice is not common. Lauritz Melchior and Jon Vickers were legendary operatic heldentenors. Ben Heppner sits at the top of the current crop of heldentenors. The keystone of any heldentenor's repertoire is arguably Wagner's Siegfried: an extremely demanding role requiring both range, stamina and an extended dramatic suspension. Also prominent in dramatic Italian opera like Verdi's Otello
- Lyric - High tessitura and lighter voice, quite often a comic character. Examples would be Papageno in Die Zauberflote, the Count in Le nozze di Figaro, and Escamillo in Carmen. Examples of this voice type would be Simon Keenleyside and Teddy Tahu Rhodes.
- 'Dramatic - Lower tessitura than a lyric, rich and full voice. Sings roles like the title character of Rigoletto.
- Lyric - Has agility but also a deep tone. Roles are often sung by lyric baritones and vice-versa. Example roles would be both Figaro roles and Leporello in Don Giovanni. An example of this singer would be Lorenzo Regazzo.
- Heavy - Very dark and deep. An example role would be Sarastro in Die Zauberflote.
- Profondo - A rich and deep, extremely dark dramatic male bass voice capable of executing notes at or lower than C2, C two octaves below Middle C. Examples of such singers are Tony Jay, Barry White and Isaac Hayes.
- Baritenor - a special tenor with a dark baritonal lower register but a higer tessitura than a true baritone. An example is Stevie Wonder.
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