Pitch of Voice and Characters in Opera

Mary Stewart notes that the higher pitch of most female voices is less threatening than lower male voices, which is why the hero is a tenor and the villain is a baritone in most operas (309). It's worth noting that this principle also extends to the female voices as well. The love interest is usually a soprano, while her trouble-making rival is usually an alto. However, Stewart gets the male parts a little wrong. The villain is usually a bass, not a baritone, but that fact further emphasizes her point. For those wondering, the baritone is usually a side-character that doesn't get any of the big numbers, but is vital to the plot.