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
Orpheus Male Voice Choir, Grimsby & Cleethorpes Orpheus Male Voice Choir, Grimsby & Cleethorpes The Orpheus Male Voice Choir was formed in 1949 by a small group of enthusiastic singers from the Grimsby and Cleethorpes area under the musical direction of Vera Burton. Early successes in festivals and concerts soon led to an increase in membership. The choir continued to grow under the direction of George Cave and then Arthur Robinson. Since 1981 the choir has been under the musical direction of Richard Bradley with Audrey Ellis as the accompanist and meets each week at the Central Hall, Grimsby. The reputation of the choir has grown over