SOPRANO: The term comes from the Italian "sopra" (above). This is the highest female voice. There are several sub-categories:
COLORATURA (Fioritusa or Canto Figuratiavo) Elaborate ornamentation of the
vocal line with notes that reach F above High C or higher. Joan Sutherland in Lucia di
Lammermoor, or Monserrat Caballe in Parisina.
DRAMATICO. Ranges from G below Middle C to C above the treble clef (High C). Anita Cerquetti in Nabucco, La Gioconda.
LIRICO. Ranges from B flat below Middle C to High C.
LIRICO-SPINTO. A voice with the capacity for more dramatic roles. It ranges from A below Middle C to High C. Renata Tebaldi in Madama Butterfly, Tosca, Don
Carlo,
MEZZO SOPRANO: The second female voice ranges between the soprano and the Contralto. The Mezzo ("mezzo" It., half) is darkerand heavier, and except for the top notes, it has the same range as the Soprano.
CONTRALTO: This is the female voice's lowest range (It., "against/opposite high" voice). Often used in association or replaced by the Mezzo, this term is nowadays seldom used except to denote extremely dark, low voice or role. Marian Anderson singing Ulrica, Un Ballo in Maschera.
TENORE: The term derives from the Middle Ages when polyphonic music emerged and this male voice had to "hold" the tune while the other voices continued in counmterpoint to it (Lat., "Tenere", to hold). The highest, natural male voice prodduced in the chest, and like its counterpart, the Soprano, it has several subdivisions:
BUFFO. A Tenor of comic or humorous vocal range.
Di FORZA. A Tenor with the force and lung power to sing roles as Otello and
Manrico. Mario del Monaco, Franco Corelli, Franco Bonisolli are Tenori di Forza.
Di GRAZIA/LIRICO. A tenor with the ability and grace required to sing
Mozart, Rossini and the lighter Donizetti and Bellini roles. Ferrucccio Tagliavini,
Luigi Alva, Jose Carreras, Chris Merritt and Gregory Kunde.
BARITONO (Gk., "Heavy tone" ) The middle of the three naturalmales voices with a range between low G and G. Prior to the 19th Century, all non "Tenor" voices were in the Basso category. The "Verdi Baritone" has a high tessitura, often a minor third or more above all other composer's Baritone Roles. Il Conte di Luna, CarloV and Nabucco are some examples. True Verdi Baritones, singers who have the upper notes while retaining a dark timbre, such as Leonard Warren, Ettore Bastianini, Peter Glossop or Renato Bruson are extremely rare.
BASSO (It., "Low" ) The lowest range for the male voice characterized by a deep, dark sound and very low noted with a range from Low F to Mid. C.
CANTANTE: A flexible "Lyric" voice.
BUFFO:
PROFONDO:
