Voice type in baroque operas. Except for a few very rare voices (such as the American male soprano Michael Maniaci or singers with a disorder such as Kallmann syndrome), singers called countertenors generally sing in the falsetto register, sometimes using their modal voice for the lowest notes. Historically, there is much evidence that the countertenor, in England at least, also designated a very high tenor voice, the equivalent of the French "haute-contre". Until about 1830, all male voices used some falsetto-type voice production in their upper range. Countertenor voices span a broad range, covering E3 to E5. Countertenor subtypes: Countertenors are often
Bass (voice type) comic-relief fool in bel canto operas. English equivalent: dramatic bass "Basso profondo" (lyric low bass) is the lowest bass voice type. According to J. B. Steane in "Voices, Singers & Critics", the basso profondo voice "derives from a method of tone-production that eliminates the more Italian quick vibrato. In its place is a kind of tonal solidity, a wall-like front, which may nevertheless prove susceptible to the other kind of vibrato, the slow beat or dreaded wobble." English equivalent: dramatic low bass. Dramatic basso profondo is a powerful basso profondo voice. All of the Gilbert and Sullivan Savoy operas, except