# Which opera calls for the most voice types?



## ahammel (Oct 10, 2012)

_A Midsummer Night's Dream_ has bass, a bass-baritone, a baritone, a tenor, a countertenor, a boy treble, a contralto, a mezzo-soprano, a soprano, and a speaking role.

Beat that.


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## badRomance (Nov 22, 2011)

Mozart's Magic Flute ties with 10: bass (Sarastro), bass-baritone (temple priest), baritone (Papageno), tenor (Tamino), child alto, child mezzo, child soprano, mezzo (1 of the 3 ladies), soprano (Pamina), coloratura soprano (Queen of the Night).


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## Aramis (Mar 1, 2009)

I suppose there is some avant-garde opera out there that wins the competition. Like, Hans Glanz - _Turbo Osmosis X-3502_ including synth voice, electronically distorted baritone, Mongolian overtone singer, speaking voice, screamer, child bass, tenore senza grazia etc.



badRomance said:


> bass (Sarastro), bass-baritone (temple priest) (...) soprano (Pamina), coloratura soprano (Queen of the Night).


That's cheating. If we go this way, Traviata wins because it famously calls for three voice types for a single role.


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## ahammel (Oct 10, 2012)

If we're subdividing _Fächer_ like that, _Dream_ also has the coloratura Titania contrasted with the more lyrical Helena, and the dramatic tenor Lysander vs. the lighter, more comic Flute. Quince and Theseus are very different bass roles as well.


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## badRomance (Nov 22, 2011)

Aramis said:


> That's cheating. If we go this way, Traviata wins because it famously calls for three voice types for a single role.


The range and sound production of the coloratura soprano is different from a soprano. So what are the voice types for Traviata? Sorry, I don't listen to Italian opera at all.


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## Aramis (Mar 1, 2009)

badRomance said:


> The range and sound production of the coloratura soprano is different from a soprano. So what are the voice types for Traviata? Sorry, I don't listen to Italian opera at all.


The saying is that soprano singing Traviata has to be coloratura, spinto and lyric soprano in one person and switch between these fachs in order to be able to match very different challenges of each act.


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## badRomance (Nov 22, 2011)

Aramis said:


> The saying is that soprano singing Traviata has to be coloratura, spinto and lyric soprano in one person and switch between these fachs in order to be able to match very different challenges of each act.


So are you telling me she has to sing lines of melody with notes all around F5 to F6?


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

*La Gioconda* might be unique in that there is a principal role for each voice range and each character gets an aria. I'm not sure if there's another opera where that is the case.

Gioconda - soprano
Laura - mezzo-soprano
La Cieca - contralto
Enzo -tenor
Barnaba - baritone
Alvise - bass


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## PeachlovinBari (Dec 7, 2013)

If we don't subdivide fach, Das Rheingold has a role for every voice type.
Soprano- Freia, Woglinde
Mezzo- Fricka, Wellgunde, Flosshilde
Contralto- Erda
Tenor- Loge, Froh, Mime
Baritone- Donner, Alberich
Bass-Baritone- Wotan
Bass- Fafner, Fasolt

I admit it's kinda cheating, because a lot of the roles can be taken on by many different voice types. Like Wotan has been sung by true baritones like Thomas Stewart, or true Basses like John Tomlinson. And when was the last time you saw Erda sung by a true contralto.


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