In England Purcell wrote significant music for a higher male voice that he called a "counter-tenor", for example, the roles of Secrecy and Summer in The Fairy-Queen (1692).

Mar 7, 2024 · Countertenors are, give or take, able to sing the same range of notes as female contralto and mezzo-soprano singers.

Nov 16, 2025 · countertenor, in music, adult male alto voice, either natural or falsetto. In England the word generally refers to a falsetto alto rather than a high tenor. Some writers reserve the …

What is a countertenor? A countertenor is a male singer who can sing as high as a soprano or mezzo-soprano. The countertenor is the rarest of all voice types.

Aug 14, 2025 · In short, a countertenor is best described as a singer whose voice has changed due to the presence of testosterone, yet retains a high singing voice comparable to sopranos, …

Nov 3, 2025 · A countertenor is a male classical singing voice whose vocal range is equivalent to that of a female alto, mezzo-soprano, or even soprano. This unique voice type achieves its …

May 14, 2025 · Countertenor refers to the highest adult male singing voice, typically singing in a range comparable to that of an alto or mezzo-soprano, and occasionally reaching into soprano …

Countertenors often are natural baritones or tenors, but rarely use this vocal range in performance. The term first came into use in England during the mid-seventeenth century, and …

A countertenor is a male singing voice whose vocal range is equivalent to that of a contralto, mezzo-soprano, or (less frequently) a soprano, usually through use of falsetto, or far more …

A countertenor (also contra tenor) is a type of classical male singing voice whose vocal range is equivalent to that of the female contralto or mezzo-soprano voice type s, generally extending …