What is a Baritenor? Michael Spyres and his three-octave operatic range | Classic FM

Can you be both a baritone and a tenor? Opera star Michael Spyres introduces us to his remarkable baritenor vocal range backstage at the Royal Albert Hall.
See more of his Classic FM Live performance soon on Sky Arts.
Michael's latest album, Contratenor, is out now on Erato.
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[@lotfibouhedjeur]

His speaking voice is so pleasant.

[@briannicholas2757]

Bravissimo Spyres! You have a great gift, no matter what the world calls it.

[@amandajarboe1131]

I am SO glad you persisted!! You have crafted your voice into an amazing instrument, it is robust and soaring!

[@BaroquePanama]

Baritone - Tenor - Haute Contre…. for sure an extraordinary singer, a Virtuoso. Bravissimo Spyres!

[@Iluvatara]

what is Haute Contre??

[@bradycall1889]

@@Iluvatara A French term for an extremely high, light, and bright tenor.

[@user-uv4xw7uc2y]

Друзья, у нас в России, если хотят сказать комплимент исполнителю, говорят: "У меня по всему телу бегали мурашки", т.е, много маленьких муравьев. Или: "От Вашего пения у меня мороз по коже". У меня от Вашего пения, Майкл, не только муравьи и мороз по коже, я еще рыдаю от восторга и абсолютно счастлива! Нет, решила перенести рыдания от восторга на завтра, а то от рыданий распухнет лицо😂. Спасибо, долгого Вам творческого пути, а нам - ведра слез от Вашего божественного пения! Татьяна, Россия❤

[@ThomasDawkins88]

If he were a musical theater singer, we wouldn't think twice; we would just say that he had a very wide range and leave it at that. But the opera world is so obsessed with pigeonholing everything that we don't accept that one voice actually can sound like a tenor and a baritone depending on the repertoire. An exceptionally rare thing, of course, but this man can SING!

[@enough_b]

It’s intense gatekeeping and a lot of pedantic nonsense. If you sound low and dark, you’re wolfy. If you sing low and make it sound easy, you’ve got the wrong timber and you’re a Countertenor that just happens to hit D2’s in the morning. These people don’t even enjoy opera anymore, they’re just watching bloodsports. Whomever hits the F6 the best is the only coloratura Soprano, everyone else is a secret Contralto that cannot even hit 100dB anyway.

[@bradycall1889]

@@enough_b I also find all the small things to be absurd.

[@loukerst9091]

As an opera singer myself, the reason for the specific classifications (called fach) is that when in voice lessons, there are very specific and historically practiced techniques for each voice type. The specific classifications are used as a roadmap for how to train the voice and what roles they would play best. I am a tenor, but a pretty “heavy” tenor. Meaning that I have a resonant A2 at the bottom, but have learned the tenor techniques of singing high C’s and the like. Me and him have a very similar voice. I know this because I can also sing baritone repertoire by adding a heavy, darker mechanism to my voice that emulates a baritone range. So while yes, a lot of the classifications are pedantic and dumb, they can be quite useful in being very specific in your training.

[@bradycall1889]

@@loukerst9091 Interestingly, even though a resonant A2 is not the norm for tenors, it's still possible. I've heard tenors go down lower and still projecting. Again, it's not what the typical tenor can do, but there are exceptions to the general rules of voice classification.

[@Traigame2cervezas]

Musical theater singers might learn a thing or two from us.

[@lindadavies6109]

Lovely to hear your range. My late dad had a beautiful tenor voice and I would say his natural speaking voice sounded baritone/tenor to my “untrained” ear. I hope to one day hear you in concert 💯❤

[@Shamsithaca]

Love his incredible honesty. She is a gem in a million, he has a big heart to share so much of himself. He brings so much joy with his incredible voice.

[@lorettoboutaud2933]

Este hombre es fantástico! 😮❤❤❤. Que voz más maravillosa, amo su color de voz, su interpretación, su versatilidad y su talento. ¡Vivan los artistas como él! Bravo bravisimo!!! 🥰😍😍😍😍

[@aprilgregg08]

Beautiful voice.

[@roserichmond-nkosi9026]

From South Africa Incredible elastic voice. Talented

[@tarecotareca]

He's from america not south africa.

[@FrenchCat139]

​@@tarecotarecaShe was talking about herself.

[@SingerKeithJames]

This is an amazingly frank video based in truth and experience. I am a big fan of your journey and the end the result . . . a splendid, full ranged voice!

[@marisolnsnchez]

Me encanta ❤su voz resuena en mi cabeza y recuerdo la letra maravilloso 😍 además se ve muy guapo así como está🥰

[@carinevalery3053]

Merci Michael pour le bonheur et la joie que vous apportez dans nos vies !!!

[@tenor-haute-contre]

Lovely video ! However I’d like to mention that not all (Italian) orchestras in the XVIIth and XVIIIth century were lower than today. Throughout the XVIIth century, Lombardy and Veneto pitches were in fact mostly a half step higher than today’s. Roman and Neapolitan pitches were globally one tone lower however. In the XVIIIth century, Baritenors existed, but their tessitura and singing technique varied noticeably. Gaetano Borghi mostly preferred to stay in his extremely virtuoso mid-range, though he had occasional A4s and B flats in Venice. Same goes for the younger Pietro de Mezzo. Marc’Antonio Mareschi was argueably a modern Baritone. Giambattista Pinacci’s specialty was seemingly note leaps (canto di sbalzo). Same goes for Francesco Borosini who had a very extensive F2-B4 range which Francesco Conti explored masterfully in Vienna. Gregorio Babbi also had a wide range, but his’ probably corresponded more to a Tenor voice than a Baritone. Other “Baritenors” include the very reknowned Giovanni Paita, Antonio Barbieri and Francesco Tolve. Some would argue that Annibale Pio Fabri wasn’t one due to his primo uomo roles. Others with a more generic range include Francesco Maria Cignoni, Francesco Guicciardi and Giovanni Francesco Costanzi. Aside from those guys, you also had Tenors with occasional low notes but globally a fairly high voice like Filippo Giorgi and Gaetano Pompeo Basteris. Then there were Angelo Amorevoli and Antonio Romani who might’ve been Leggero Tenors by today’s standards (but their dramatic repertoire was mostly the same as their other colleagues’).

[@jefolson6989]

I will take the Roman and Neapolutan pitches please. It adds a bit of warmth. Nearly imperceptible and for singers, mostly psychological. Just TELL then you perform tuned to a lower diapason (but you are really at A 440 like everyonr else and watch how they sing high notes with ease. They are psychological beings. Occasionally you have to lie to them. If you want to bug a singer, after a performance say " I can honestly say Ive never heard you sing any better and walk away. Someo.e did it to me 25 years ago and I still wonder what he meant . On sleepless nights. Or the AMADEUS fav: " well, there it is" and " you obviously worked very hard " " how do you remember that?"

[@gerardorodriguez7621]

Que hermosa Voz y con ese rango amplísimo cubre los papeles de barítono y de tenor lírico.

[@MrOlogramma]

I love this man ❤

[@user-ol5sr6kl7g]

Well done Sir!!! Really enjoy your sense of humour!!

[@jorgemirandalopez3264]

It has developped his head voice very well. The point is... Everybody can.

[@evplayspiano]

i didnt think this was a real thing but this is the perfect voice type for when im in the car singing la boheme

[@nolansykinsley3734]

Even with Pavarotti singing this song, you can see his is severely stressed, pursed lips discolored by the strength behind them, he has to strain constantly to the limits but you seem to make it easy, other than a little flushing at the end you don't seem to have any difficulty and make it seem oh so easy which is the sign of a great perfomer!

[@jefolson6989]

Pavarotti straining with all his might? Never seen that. He had a very sound technical foundation, although he does show general physical effort it not in his voice. Like Lanza, Luciano had a very expressive scalp.

[@donpalomon]

0:29 me encanta su interpretación y carisma que le da la pieza

[@raquelsantosquel]

Bravíssimo! Saudações do Brasil!

[@DanielWSonntag]

Beautiful

[@SilfredoSerrano]

Interesting. I feel the same way. It wasn't always the same, though. One thing that was constant is that I always spoke lower than most tenors.

[@annenglish2935]

Richness!!! Fantastic... Thank you 😊from a grateful California Gramma ❤️

[@RogerToye]

I like that tenor range .. and softness

[@HellsKitchenMichelle]

exquisite!!

[@noelrilloraza9338]

Gifted 🙏🏼 Superhuman 🦸‍♂️

[@ferdecla]

¿qué óperas completas canta?

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

It plugs that gap between the Tenors & Baritones.

[@arturobenites4913]

I only hear a lyric-leggero tenor with some more notes in his lower register (which is rare, but possible, according to the treatises of Manuel Garcia Jr.) 😅

[@amantedellopera1681]

I hear spinto,he is far more than lyric

[@fishwigy]

I'm a light lyric tenor with low notes, so it's definitely possible.

[@joshuamclean4588]

@@amantedellopera1681his voice is more baritonal than many spintos I hear, but could be

[@joshuamclean4588]

@@fishwigyis your voice like his?

[@fishwigy]

@@joshuamclean4588 just the range. The timbre is in between kraus and di stefano as of now

[@hectorbravo6862]

De lo poco que sé de fisiología de la voz: las diferencias entre tenor y barítono van desde el tipo de pulmón hasta la apertura del paladar blando pasando por laringe, cuerdas, glotis, etc. En algún momento va a romperse la voz y quizás afectarse definitivamente las cuerdas vocales. Todos los tenores que trataron de emular a Caruso en la emisión de notas de registro medio hacia abajo, terminaron pagándolo muy caro (tal vez hubiera excepciones).

[@LohengrinO]

He also has an impressive counter tenor / falsetto register although he reaches top notes like D5 in full - body, non - falsetto, dramatic tenor mode... I think he is the first Tenor Assoluto we have on record with previous candidates being Chris Merritt and Bruce Ford. Unfortunately the Mega Star Tenors of the 20th century (Corelli, di Stefano, Pavarotti) did not attempt the Tenor Assoluto repertoire with only exception Nicolai Gedda's delivery of 1-2 Assoluto roles... and also, Spyres does not omit the written trills in his readings Trills are always very tiring for the cords and very difficult to deliver well (instead of fluttering or small tremolos), especially difficult for male singers who by definition possess less agility than females in their cords so great tenors most of the times omit them (Even sopranos omit Brunhilde's written trills in Hotojojo not to mention Anna Bolena's low placed trills in the final scene)... LOVE HIM!!!!!

[@bombsingaza]

Interesting! It’s how someone characterised Australian actor and singer Philip Quast, “ a barytone with a halo of tenor.”

[@alfredalfred3571]

even when he sings pretendeously as Baryton i can hear behind, his tenor voice.....he can sing low because he has the hability to sing low notes as the russian Tenor Koslowsky and he knows how to switch of register and i ma pretty shure that he imporve is low notes in th mean time he improved his high notes. to say a person is baryton or tenor is first the colour of the voice but also where the voice has it more power using projection technique, and obviously he is a lyric tenor! not a Dramtaic one as you can see in his interpretation of nessun Dorma in the begining of the Aria on the phrase : Guardi l'estelle on F+ a lyric tenor needs to open it to have some power in contrario of Dramatico. F+ is the change of register for the Tenor, some very dramatic ones start a the F to change the register for very lo notes it happens generally aroound the A low....then the sounds is on the chest coast ...read the Lily Lehmann Book there is a very interesting draw about that.......and for the reinforce falsetto called falsetone in the Rossini is singing infalsetto with the appogio...it was taught byt the castrato to the tenors of the era of Rossini i want to hear michael Spyres the aria of Figaro on stage without microphone and the full orchestra....

[@joshuamclean4588]

Thanks for your insight

[@bradycall1889]

Indeed that is correct!

[@juanmanuelcastro6431]

Andrea Bocelli es otro ejemplo... Oigan la canción "Chiara"

[@marcelinho_musician]

Largo al factotum della città Largo! La la la la la la la la! Presto a bottega che l'alba è già Presto! La la la la la la la la!

[@CrownTheGame]

I wish my voice range was in Baritenor range. Mine sadly is low Baritone and Bass :(

[@Tagtraum_]

This comment section is so toxic.

[@bradycall1889]

I know right? Some people are obsessed with calling random singers a "tenore corto" or "undeveloped tenor" and it's the strangest thing.

[@Docteur_Faust]

The only non toxic comment

[@mnp3a]

jealeusy+bitterness

[@yaourtprintanier2377]

Thank for saying it

[@markcox2870]

You are what is also referred to as a Verdi Baritone, like myself. Domingo is in the high range of the Verdi Baritone, not a true tenor. Wonderful voice mate keep up the great work.

[@bradycall1889]

I don't agree with you on Domingo's voice type neither Spyres'.

[@joshuamclean4588]

@@bradycall1889hey Brady I’ve seen you around in different comments. I’m curious, whats your opinion about both of these voices?

[@bradycall1889]

@@joshuamclean4588 Spyres I'm not sure which subtype of the tenor voice he is, but he's certainly a tenor of some sort. In Domingo's case, I am almost certain he's a tenor nowadays, and he most certainly was back in the old days. I think in his prime he was a lirico-spinto tenor, but I'm not so sure what type of tenor he is now in his current state. He self-identifies as a "baritone" but I'm quite skeptical of that.

[@joshuamclean4588]

@@bradycall1889 we’ve crossed paths before and I think I could also be a type of tenor. Tho some days my teacher leans toward high baritone because of my tone and comfortable range and where my voice likes to sit, but then she hears my upper range and thinks I could be a tenor. So I will just let my voice develop over time and sing beutifully with my voice and not obsess over categorizing it right now and if I choose to go down the path of singing opera, where it really matters, I will learn where my voice shines the most by singing variety and getting feedback from ithers. Thats my take

[@joshuamclean4588]

@@bradycall1889 even his speaking voice, it may be “low” compared to a stereotypical tenor, but it’s really not THAT low either. Not like a bass or anything.

[@AllenFigueredo5]

Actually his voice is constricted. Also, the color of voice and the voice type are not always related.

[@SilfredoSerrano]

He's laughing all the way to the bank.

[@Vivi16392]

fantastic point ,,,,,,, !!!!!! thank you for saying it ,,,,,,,,, to have the notes has nothing to do with having the color ,,,,,,,,,, ,,,,, and I agree ,,, I heard him live ,,,, the whole voice sounds very very constricted ......... ..... he should focus only on the "lyric=Leggero" repertoire (which is really what he is) and make his real voice healthier ......

[@MrLuis85698]

@@Vivi16392 For centuries the largest voices -regardkess the type- have been the most legendary .. people get fascinated with Del Monaco , Corelli, Caruso, Tita Ruffo. Tebaldi, CALLAS !! he wants to be like them .. I think you might be right .. projecting Volumen when you are not a natural loud singer is costly and it seemed that you already experienced that with him Live ...

[@bradycall1889]

True and Michael Spyres is still a tenor.

[@michaelmiller1215]

Admittedly, as a Tenor, this is a bit confusing to me. So I am forwarding this video to a friend who is a professional singer for his input.

[@dougcard5241]

So a tenor. My range is 3 octaves G to G which IMO is Baritone. Think too late to get the high resonance for a 70 yr old. Can hit the Gs full chest voice.

[@jenniersagues4236]

When he sing like a tenor has another color in the voice , he is not baritono " is dramatic tenor -

[@jackthebeenstock2852]

I thought baritenor is someone who can sing lower than tenor but higher than baritone. Sort of like a mezzo soprano

[@ismagomatteuscig2629]

bro ma parli anche italiano?

[@erichetherington9314]

What? who "asks" if baritone is a "real category of voice"?? What kind of a qu is that?

[@user-jy2qp6ne6h]

Some very spiteful wannabees out there!

[@Ettoredipugnar]

A tenor without a top and a baritone without a bottom .

[@brujonirisinjadeva5362]

Este tipo Por jugar con la cuerda vocal en dos cuerdas de barítono y de tenor, no va a sobresalir mucho, ni tampoco esa voz dure mucho.

[@MrLuis85698]

el tiene una voz bella, y un control fantastico, una agilidad vocal para la coloratura baritonal esquisita , su rango de tenor que no es el mas natural para el , se escucha mejor y mas fluido y mucho mas natural que casi todos los "tenores" actuales .. en ese sentido el me recuerda a Placido Domingo , que tenia un timbre de tenor bello pero lograba hacer papeles de barítono... claro la voz de placido no ear tan flexible como la de este tenor , pero en el rango de tenor Placido lograba mucha mas proyección y volumen

[@ZENOBlAmusic]

Definitely not a baritone tenor, the "baritone voice" does not sound like a baritone at all. It sounds like a lyric tenor voice, not even a spinto voice. There are other tenors who had much deeper and heavier voices. Ramon Vinay was a real baritone tenor.

[@bradycall1889]

I like some aspects of his voice but he could sing better if he was trained more.

[@bradycall1889]

And yes indeed he's not a baritone. As someone who has listened to all sorts of baritones throughout my life, even the higher ones like Thomas Hampson and Mattia Battistini are lower-pitched than Michael Spyres. I do like Spyres, however, despite some of his technical problems.

[@Teladian2]

A Baritenor is better described as a Lyric Baritone.

[@user-do6hm9yp6d]

There are not the same. Baritenor is a dark high voice (for example, Agorante or Otello in Rossini's operas) and lyric baritone is a most high baritone voice, with less powerfully low notes.

[@bradycall1889]

@@user-do6hm9yp6d A baritenor means I think either a high baritone or low tenor, so you can be a lyric baritone and a baritenor at the same time.

[@user-do6hm9yp6d]

@@bradycall1889 ok, I understand your point, but the baritenor is most likely tenor leggero voice than lyric baritone. Not like a small Spieltenor, but belongs to lightweight voices branch. Like a "light heroic" voice? Yes, it is. However, I think that more baritones with powerfully high notes could sing the baritenor repertory, in the same way some of them could sing Verdi's Otello or Wagnearian roles.

[@bradycall1889]

@@user-do6hm9yp6d Fair enough

[@tarecotareca]

He's gonna ruin his voice.

[@bachphantat]

Why? His voice sounds free

[@operafairy]

He has been singing as a baritenor for 15 years already and now he sounds better than 10 years ago. What's the problem?

[@mamuller6735]

But he uses proper technique, he only strains above D5 and he doesn't go there often. Realistically his voice should/could last pretty well.

[@youngornitier]

@@operafairy the problem is he's not a baritone? And he's just bunching up the root of his tongue and singing woofy. That's insulting to what a baritone even is.

[@operafairy]

@@youngornitier your comment doesn't have an ounce of logic. What singers sing in concerts is of little interest. Then everyone should be insulted by JDF singing Nessun Dorma or sopranos singing mezzo hits. He doesn't sing as a baritone anywhere else. So I am insulted by pseudo-baritones who sing on stage all the time and spit on what a real baritone is. You should see into the heart of the problem and not act like silly blind men.

[@EmilyGloeggler7984]

He is naturally a baritone.

[@ZENOBlAmusic]

He is naturally a lyric tenor he does not sound like a baritone at all.

[@bradycall1889]

@@ZENOBlAmusic He isn't a baritone but he does have baritone-like properties to his voice in his low range. But he is still not a true baritone his middle and high range are not that of a baritone.

[@mnp3a]

@@bradycall1889 of course he doesnt sound baritone, he spent 10+years training to sing tenor roles, and sings tenor roles. Jesus. This is how someone who would naturally have been a baritone sounds, after deciding to be a tenor for reasons that he explains here.

[@youngornitier]

so absurd, lol. A tenor that thinks he's a baritone by singing woofy and tongue tensed/forcing the larynx down. And the fact that he thinks he has a low speaking voice is hilarious, legitimate baritones speak lower than he does (search cornell macneil for reference).

[@Panagiotis-Skordilis]

who are you

[@Vivi16392]

TOTALLY AGREE ,,,,,,,,,,,,, he's a tenor singing low notes ,,,,, the color is still a tenor color ,,,,,,,,,, and I'm positive it wouldn't carry in a opera house , not even close to the most lyric baritone ..... it's a ridiculous claim ,,,,,,,,,, all I can tell you is that I heard him live as a tenor and it didn't sound that great ,,,,,,,,, full of technical problems ,,,,, Narcissism blinds people sometimes ,,,,,,,,,,,, make me feel sorry for the guy

[@Viper-dz2kw]

He hits a very flat G2 bordering on F#2 at 1:36 when he says ‘baritone’ that’s pretty deep for a tenor speaking voice when most of them don’t go below Ab speaking

[@youngornitier]

@@Viper-dz2kw That is objectively false that they don't go lower than Ab speaking. Plenty of tenors speak on pitches lower than that, it's not about the range of the speaking voice but rather the average of pitches. Andrea Bocelli speaks even down to Eb2 or something and he's an obvious tenor, and far more examples than just that.

[@DanielFurii]

I'm a baritone and I don't sound like a baritone when I'm talking. I wish I could hit half the notes that tenors can.

[@doctorgrigori585]

First we had Placido now we have Spyres, Can't tenors just leave baritone repertoire to real baritones?

[@operafairy]

He doesn't sing baritone rep on stage, only in concerts, what's the problem?

[@thesaucegroup1877]

Dude just shut up

[@Zanderthelab]

I’m a tenor and I can sing down to a high bass.

[@doctorgrigori585]

@@Zanderthelab and are you going to sing Philip II ? 🤪

[@Zanderthelab]

@@doctorgrigori585 idek what that is

[@tristanberger8500]

no. you are just a tenor. you create an artificial darker sound while singing fake baritone.

[@ericthehalfmexican9187]

I think this guy might be on the level of Pavarotti.

[@doctorgrigori585]

not even in his wildest dreams

[@Vivi16392]

his technique is 25 levels below Pavarotti ,,,,,,,,, sorry

[@lightbulbfish]

Uh…no

[@jenniersagues4236]

This after long time destroid your voice, for a tenor is not healthy to sing like a baritono, and for baritono is worse to try to change his voice like a tenor,

[@bradycall1889]

I swear to you he's definitely a true tenor 🤷‍♂

[@BellaFirenze]

Il est beau.

[@g...u...t...o...s...i...x7222]

je pense le même

[@RossinoMezzo.]

Balleeee.

[@youngornitierpart2-by6wq]

so absurd, lol. A tenor that thinks he's a baritone by singing woofy and tongue tensed/forcing the larynx down. And the fact that he thinks he has a low speaking voice is hilarious, legitimate baritones speak lower than he does (search cornell macneil for reference).

[@martinrogan6641]

Have you hear Dmitri hvorostovsky talk? He has even higher voice then this guy. It schocked me

[@bradycall1889]

@@martinrogan6641 Yeah true lol. That guy is my own impersonation channel of Young Ornitier, whom I promised I would stop responding to him and pretending to be him. I was just kidding around lol.