Bass-baritone

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A bass-baritone is a high-lying bass that shares certain qualities with the baritone. The term arose in the late 19th century to describe the particular type of voice required to sing three Wagnerian roles: the Dutchman in Der fliegende Holländer, Wotan/Der Wanderer in the Ring Cycle and Hans Sachs in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg. Wagner labelled these roles as Hoher Bass ("high bass").

The bass-baritone voice is distinguished by two attributes. First, it must be capable of singing comfortably in a baritonal tessitura. It must also, however, have the resonant lower range typically associated with the bass. For example, the role of Wotan in Die Walküre covers the range from F at the bottom of the bass clef to F# above middle C, but only infrequently descends beyond the C below middle C. Bass-baritones are typically divided into two separate categories: lyric bass-baritone and dramatic bass-baritone.

The term bass-baritone is roughly synonymous with the Italian term basso cantante; for example, in Verdi, Philip II in Don Carlos is usually taken by a bass-baritone, while Ferrando in Il Trovatore is sung by a true bass—though the two roles' ranges are very similar. In Debussy's Pelléas et Mélisande the lower baritone role of Golaud is a bass-baritone, sitting between Pelleas (high baritone) and Arkel (bass). See fach for more. Much of the oratorio repertoire, from Handel's Messiah to Mendelssohn's Elijah is best suited to a bass-baritone with the ability to combine a rich, dark tone with a smooth high-lying cantabile line. Many of the Mozart baritone roles such as Don Giovanni, Figaro and Gugliemo&mdashcomposed before the term "baritone" gained currency—are typically played by a bass-baritone.

Lyric Bass-baritone

Bass-baritone is a voice with the resonant low notes of the typical bass but with the ability to sing in a baritonal tessitura. Sometimes it also refers to a voice with a range and tone somewhere between a bass and a baritone. The Bass-baritone's required range can vary tremendously based on the role, with some less demanding than others. Some bass-baritones are baritones, like Friedrich Schorr, George London, James Morris and Bryn Terfel. The following are more often done by high basses as opposed to lower baritones.

• Roles:
• Don Pizarro Fidelio by Ludwig van Beethoven
• Escamillo Carmen by Georges Bizet
• Golaud Pelléas et Mélisande by Claude Debussy
• Méphistophélès, Faust by Charles Gounod
• Don Alfonso, Così fan tutte by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
• Figaro, The Marriage of Figaro by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Dramatic Bass-baritone

• Roles:
• Igor, Prince Igor by Alexander Borodin
• Scarpia, Tosca by Giacomo Puccini
• Dutchman The Flying Dutchman by Richard Wagner
• Hans Sachs Die Meistersinger by Richard Wagner
• Wotan Der Ring des Nibelungen by Richard Wagner
• Amfortas Parsifal by Richard Wagner

Bass-baritone roles in operetta and musicals

All of the Gilbert and Sullivan comic operas have at least one bass-baritone character. Bass-baritones famous for singing these roles included Richard Temple, Darrell Fancourt and Donald Adams.

Some notable bass-baritones roles featured in Musicals are:

• Leon Czolgosz-Assassins
• Ivan Molokov-Chess
• Mr. Simon Stride-Jekyll and Hyde
• The Bishop of Digne-Les Miserables
• Mufasa-The Lion King
• Scar-The Lion King
• Jud Fry-Oklahoma!
• Bill Sykes-Oliver!
• Captain Hook-Peter Pan
• The Coachman-Pinocchio
• Sweeney Todd-Sweeney Todd
• Judge Turpin-Sweeney Todd
• Isidor Strauss-Titanic
• Officer Lockstock-Urinetown
• Mr. Spettigue-Where's Charley?

Some roles that are routinely played by baritones may also be played by a strong Bass-Baritone. Some notable examples include Don Quixote/Miguel de Cerventes in Man of La Mancha and Javert in Les Miserables.