Webster’s Dictionary defines a contralto as the following:
Vocal Range:
The lowest female voice being able to audibly and beautifully and comfortably sing roughly between F3 (F below middle C and possibly lower) and E5 (E above middle C and possibly higher).
Classical and operatic contraltos are singers who have regularly performed unamplified classical or operatic music in concert halls and/or opera houses. This is a list of the most famous of all historic and contemporary contraltos:
- Kathleen Ferrier
- Marion Anderson
- Ewa Podles
- Marie-Nicole Lemieux
- Olga Borodina
- Dolora Zajick
Some examples of pop/crossover contraltos are:
- Diana Krall
- Bonnie Raitt
- Sarah Vaughn