Heldentenor
Dramatic, powerful tenor.
What it means
Heldentenor (“heroic tenor”) designates the heaviest type of tenor voice: a voice with a dark colour, great volume, and the ability to assert itself over a large orchestra, and for hours at that. The range hardly differs from that of other tenors, but the substance in the middle register does, which is often baritonally coloured. Many singers of this Fach begin their careers in lighter roles and grow into it only with the years.
Musical use
The Fach is closely connected with the music drama of the nineteenth century, whose great roles demand long stage presence, high volume, and dramatic expressive power. Roles that make these demands are also found in the repertoire of the twentieth century. Musically this means a different treatment of the voice by the composer: instead of agile coloratura and light high notes, declamatory lines, broad arcs, and outbursts in the high register are in the foreground. In contrast to the lyric tenor, agility recedes behind power and colour.
Performance practice
The most important advice concerns time: voices of this type develop slowly, and too early an entry into heavy repertoire can cause lasting damage. Work on deep breath support and a larynx that stays free, so that volume does not arise through pressure. Practise the transition range carefully, for it decides whether the high register stays sustaining. In large roles, plan your strength over the whole evening, mark in rehearsals consistently where possible, and do not sing at full volume permanently there, because the voice otherwise does not recover. When accepting a role, check how long the pauses between appearances are, provide sufficient recovery between performances, and have the voice assessed regularly by experienced teachers.