Tenor is the second highest male singing voice. Only a man who sings countertenor (contralto) can sing higher (see Contralto ). Most tenors have a vocal range that goes from about an octave below middle C to the B flat above middle C. Middle C is the note C that lies nearest the center of a piano keyboard. Most operatic tenors specializing in dramatic roles can sing notes that are even higher than the top of the normal range. There are several categories of tenor, each suited to a particular type of operatic role. A lyric tenor has a light, high voice. A dramatic tenor or heroic tenor, often called by the German word Heldentenor, has a rich, powerful tenor voice with a heavier, stronger lower range than the lyric tenor.
