The Operatic Voice

A true (and brief) definition of the “operatic” voice is a difficult proposition.  Many believe the voice is “born,” while just as many hold to the belief that the voice is “trained.”  The truth lies somewhere between the two.  Voices that can sustain the demands required by the operas do have many things in common.  First and foremost is a strong physical technique that allows the singer to sustain long phrases through the control of both the inhalation and exhalation of breath.  Secondly, the voice (regardless of its size) must maintain a resonance in both the head (mouth, sinuses) and chest cavities.  This is the brilliant tone required to penetrate the full symphony orchestra that accompanies the singers.  Finally, all voices are defined by both the actual voice “type” and the selection of repertoire (see definitions for explanation) for which the voice is ideally suited.

Opera singers develop a certain style (sound) of singing that is very different from what is usually heard on the radio or television.  Although opera has been performed since the time of the early Greeks, the methods used in contemporary opera singing have a history that traces to the fifteenth century at its earliest. Opera singers do not all sound the same.  They sing as differently as people speak; but within those differences, there are six basic "types" or "ranges" of operatic voices:

Soprano                       The highest female voice

Mezzo-soprano            The medium female voice

Contralto                     The lowest female voice

Tenor                           The highest male voice

Baritone                      The medium male voice

Bass                             The lowest male voice

The style we call "operatic" or "classical" singing developed in Europe a few hundred years ago. It is characterized by a large vocal range, as well as an increased volume and projection.  Opera singers can project their voices if they are very quiet or very loud, even without a microphone!  This is the main difference between opera singing and popular singing.  Opera singers must learn to breathe properly, using the natural resonance of their chest cavities to project their voices.

Since operas are written and performed in many different languages, singers must study foreign languages and translate their parts so they understand the words they are singing. The languages in which operas are written will be discussed by the singers. Which ones can you think of?

How do people understand what's going on if it's in a different language?  Well, when the operas were written, they were designed for people who spoke those languages. So, if a librettist wrote the words for an opera performed in Italy, he knew that everyone in the audience would understand it in Italian. These days, it helps if the audience speaks the language they use on the stage, but it is possible to understand the story without speaking the language. That's why there's music--so the audience can hear how the characters feel, and that way people can understand what's going on in the story. More recently, opera companies have started using supertitles to help the audience understand what's happening onstage. Supertitles are translations of the libretto which are projected above the stage.

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