Contralto

Because true contraltos are so rare, contralto roles are often sung by mezzos with very strong low registers.

The clip below is an aria from Gilbert and Sullivan’s operetta, Iolanthe, sung by The Fairy Queen, which was written for a contralto. Although this clip is actually performed by a mezzo, you should still be able to hear how strong the singer’s low range must be in order to hit all of the notes. Sung in English.

This excerpt is from Nashville Opera’s 2006 production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s Iolanthe.

Other contralto roles: Ulricha (Verdi’s Un Ballo in Maschera), The Ruth (Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance), Buttercup (Gilbert & Sullivan’s HMS Pinafore).