A contralto, or sometimes alto, is a type of classical female singing voice whose vocal
range is the lowest female voice type, with the lowest tessitura. The contralto's vocal
range falls between tenor and mezzo-soprano; typically between the F below middle C to
the second F above middle C, although at the extremes some voices can reach the E below
middle C or the second B♭ above middle C.
Terminology "Contralto" is meaningful only in reference
to classical and operatic singing, as other genres lack a system of vocal categorization
comparable to that generally accepted in the classical context. Even within current operatic
practice, contraltos are often classed as mezzo-sopranos, because singers in each range
can cover for those in the other. The term "contralto" is only applied to female singers;
men singing in a similar range are called "countertenors." The Italian terms "contralto"
and "alto" are not synonymous, the latter technically denoting a specific vocal range
in choral singing without regard to factors like tessitura, vocal timbre, vocal facility,
and vocal weight. Within the category of contraltos are three
generally recognized subcategories—coloratura contralto, lyric contralto, and dramatic contralto—that
usefully describe the voice type in general terms. Note, however, that they do not always
apply with precision to individual singers; some exceptional dramatic contraltos, such
as Ernestine Schumann-Heink and Sigrid Onégin, were technically equipped to perform not only
heavy, dramatic music by the likes of Wagner but also florid compositions by Donizetti.
Coloratura contralto Coloratura contraltos—who have light, agile
voices ranging very high for the classification and atypically extensive coloratura and high
sustaining notes—specialize in florid passages and leaps. Given its deviations from the classification's
norms, this voice type is quite rare. Lyric contralto
A lyric contralto voice is lighter than a dramatic contralto but not capable of the
ornamentation and leaps of a coloratura contralto. This class of contralto, lighter in timbre
than the others, is the most common today and usually ranges from the E below middle
C to the second G above middle C. Dramatic contralto
The dramatic contralto is the deepest, darkest, and heaviest contralto voice, usually having
a heavier tone and more power than the others. Singers in this class are rare.
Contralto roles in opera True operatic contraltos are rare, and the
operatic literature contains few roles written specifically for them. Contraltos sometimes
are assigned feminine roles like Angelina in La Cenerentola, Rosina in The Barber of
Seville, Isabella in L'italiana in Algeri, and Olga in Eugene Onegin, but more frequently
they play female villains or assume trouser roles originally written for castrati. A common
saying among contraltos is that they may play only "witches, bitches, or britches."
Examples of contralto roles in the standard operatic repertoire include the following:.
* indicates a role that may also be sung by a mezzo-soprano.
Operatic contraltos Marian Anderson
Eula Beal Clara Butt
Kathleen Ferrier Maureen Forrester
Marie-Nicole Lemieux Ottilie Metzger-Lattermann
Sigrid Onégin Ewa Podleś
Ernestine Schumann-Heink Nathalie Stutzmann
Hilary Summers See also
Category of contraltos List of operatic contraltos
List of contraltos in non-classical music Fach, the German system for classifying voices
Voice classification in non-classical music References
^ a b McKinney, James. The Diagnosis and Correction of Vocal Faults. Genovex Music Group. ISBN 978-1-56593-940-0.
^ a b Appelman, D. Ralph. The Science of Vocal Pedagogy: Theory and Application. Indiana
University Press. ISBN 978-0-253-20378-6. ^ Chisholm, Hugh, ed.. "Contralto". Encyclopædia
Britannica. Cambridge University Press. ^ Stark, James. Bel Canto: A History of Vocal
Pedagogy. University of Toronto Press. ISBN 978-0-8020-8614-3. ^ a b Boldrey, Richard. Guide to Operatic
Roles and Arias. Caldwell Publishing Company. ISBN 978-1-877761-64-5.
Further reading Coffin, Berton. Coloratura, Lyric and Dramatic
Soprano, Vol. 1. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc. ISBN 978-0-8108-0188-2.
Peckham, Anne. Vocal Workouts for the Contemporary Singer. Berklee Press Publications. ISBN 978-0-87639-047-4.
Smith, Brenda. Choral Pedagogy. Plural Publishing, Inc. ISBN 978-1-59756-043-6.
External links Media related to Contralto vocalists at Wikimedia
Commons The dictionary definition of contralto at