Bass-baritone

A bass-baritone is a male singer whose voice is quite low, like a deep baritone, but not quite as low as really deep bass.  People started to describe some singers as "bass-baritones" in the 19th century, particularly when the composer Richard Wagner wrote operas which needed singers with that kind of heroic voice.  Wagner's roles for bass-baritone include:  the Dutchman in Der fliegende Holländer, Wotan/Der Wanderer in the Ring Cycle and Hans Sachs in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg. Wagner called these roles Hoher Bass ("high bass").

Some bass-baritones often sing baritone roles.  Others prefer to sing bass roles.

Famous singers who have been, or are, described as bass-baritone include Hans Hotter, José van Dam, Thomas Quasthoff, Friedrich Schnorr, John Shirley-Quirk, Bryn Terfel and Willard White.

Related pages
Soprano
Mezzo-soprano
Alto
Tenor
Baritone
Bass (singer)

Category:Vocal ranges
Category:Opera terminology