contralto explained
The lowest female voice type, characterised by a deep, dark, rich tone and exceptional low range
In Depth
The true contralto is one of the rarest voice types. Its range extends from approximately E3 to E5, with a tessitura considerably lower than a mezzo-soprano. The contralto sound is uniquely dark and resonant, with a chesty quality in the lower register that no other female voice can match. Operatic contralto roles are relatively few — Erda in Wagner's Ring, Ulrica in Verdi's Un ballo in maschera, and several Handel roles. Many singers labelled contralto are actually low mezzo-sopranos.
Marian Anderson's contralto was so extraordinary that Toscanini told her she had a voice heard once in a hundred years.