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I've had a lot of trouble over the years finding a clear resolution over exactly what kind of voice type I fit to. Among the various theories posited over the years (including by voice teachers) was that of a "baritenor."

However, I've not really found a good definition for what a baritenor is (or should be). I've heard a few references to roles such as Eisenstein in Die Fledermaus, but otherwise I can't really find a useful "practical" definition. Is it a catchall for someone who falls through the cracks, or is there are a more constructive definition out there? Is it more of an issue with respect to range or tessitura?

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  • Sounds like someone with an extremely broad range, maybe or maybe not lacking in the middle. I don't think it's a formal term. Can you describe your range?
    – user28
    Jan 14, 2013 at 19:27
  • It's changed since those days, but in chest and head voice it's from F2 to Ab4, plus a falsetto range that goes from roughly F3 to F#5. My tessitura, though, is roughly Eb3 to F4.
    – aeismail
    Jan 14, 2013 at 20:36
  • So your range covered the basic baritone range and nearly the whole choral tenor range. And your tessitura kind of falls middle-ish as well. I'm inclined to think you just fall into a bit less common spot :)
    – user28
    Jan 14, 2013 at 20:45
  • Seems to be. Every conductor seems to have his or her own opinion of where I should sing. (I've been asked to sing everything from bass II to tenor I in the last decade.)
    – aeismail
    Jan 14, 2013 at 20:54

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The term "baritenor" is not used in classical music. I believe it comes mostly from musical theater where is simply means a part that sits between the ranges of tenor and baritone. Too high for most baritones but too low for most tenors. Keep in mind that in musical theater and opera voice categorizations include not just range but "color".

Finally, baritenor is a rather informal voice classification and even the most formal classifications have no hard and fast definitions. I just responded to a different question about fachs in which I compared these voice categorizations to musical genres. Composers write the music they want to write, and the closest label is applied after the fact. In many cases people disagree what genere a piece of music belongs to and similarly, there is often ambiguity about voices and roles.

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