heldentenor
A powerful dramatic tenor voice capable of projecting over a large Romantic orchestra
In Depth
The Heldentenor, literally meaning heroic tenor, is the heaviest tenor voice classification in the Fach system. It requires extraordinary stamina, a ringing upper register, and enough heft in the middle voice to carry over Wagner's orchestral textures. The tessitura sits lower than a lyric tenor, often hovering around the passaggio. Roles include Siegfried, Tristan, and Tannhäuser. True Heldentenors are among the rarest voice types, with perhaps only a handful active in any generation.
Jon Vickers and Lauritz Melchior are considered two of the greatest Heldentenors in recording history, though their voices were vastly different in colour.