The contralto's vocal range is fairly rare, similar to themezzo-soprano, and almost identical to that of acountertenor, typically between the F below middle C (F3 inscientific pitch notation) to the second F above middle C (F5), although, at the extremes, some voices can reach the D below middle C (D3)[2] or the second B♭ above middle C (B♭5).[1] The contralto voice type is generally divided into the coloratura, lyric, and dramatic contralto.
"Contralto" is primarily meaningful only in reference to classical andoperatic singing, as other traditions lack a comparablesystem of vocal categorization. The term "contralto" is only applied to female singers; men singing in a similar range are called "countertenors".[3] The Italian terms "contralto" and "alto" are not synonymous, "alto" technically denoting a specificvocal range in choral singing without regard to factors liketessitura, vocaltimbre, vocal facility, andvocal weight.[4] However, there exists some French choral writing (including that ofRavel andPoulenc) with a part labelled "contralto", despite the tessitura and function being that of a classical alto part. The Saracen princess Clorinde inAndré Campra's 1702 operaTancrède was written forJulie d'Aubigny and is considered the earliest major role forbas-dessus or contralto voice.[5]
Although tenors, baritones, and basses are male singers, some women can sing as low (albeit with a slightly different timbre and texture) as their male counterparts. Some of the rare female singers who specialized in the tenor and baritone registers include film actressZarah Leander,[7][8] the Iranianāvāz singerHayedeh,[9] the child prodigyRuby Helder (1890–1938),[10] and Bavarian novelty singerBally Prell.[11][12] The Guinness World Record for lowest note by a female is D2, byHelen Leahey.
Within the contralto voice type category are three generally recognized subcategories:coloratura contralto, an agile voice specializing in florid passages;lyric contralto, a voice lighter in timbre; anddramatic contralto, a deep, dark, and bold contralto voice.
The coloratura contralto was a favorite voice type ofRossini's. Many of his roles listed below were written with this type of voice in mind. Lyric contraltos are heavily utilized in both the French and English operatic repertoire. Many of the Gilbert and Sullivan contralto roles are best suited with a lyric contralto voice. Ma Moss inThe Tender Land is a notable lyric contralto role. The dramatic contralto voice is heard in much of the German operatic repertoire. Erda inDer Ring des Nibelungen and Gaea inDaphne are both good examples of the dramatic contralto.
True operatic contraltos are rare, and the operatic literature contains few roles written specifically for them with most of those roles singing notes outside of their defined range. Contraltos sometimes are assigned feminine roles like Teodata inFlavio, Angelina inLa Cenerentola, Rosina inThe Barber of Seville, Isabella inL'italiana in Algeri, and Olga inEugene Onegin, but more frequently they play female villains ortrouser roles. Contraltos may also be cast in roles originally written forcastrati. A common saying among contraltos is that they may play only "witches, bitches, orbritches."[13]
Examples of contralto roles in the standard operatic repertoire include the following:[13]
^The part of Clorinde is notated in thesoprano clef (original score:Tancrede, Tragedie [...]. Paris: Ballard. 1702. p. 71 ff.), but, although it never descends below d′, tradition has it that it was the first majorbas-dessus (contralto) role in the French opera history (Sadie, Julie Anne (1997). "Maupin". InSadie, Stanley (ed.).The New Grove Dictionary of Opera. Vol. 3. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 274.ISBN978-0-19-522186-2.
