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How do you cast an opera? Mostly by voice \u2013 but which voice? If you\u2019re casting Siegmund in Wagner’s Die Walk\u00fcre<\/a><\/strong><\/em>, you\u2019re obviously looking for a tenor; but you would probably not approach the likes of Bryn Terfel<\/a><\/strong> or Juan Diego Fl\u00f3rez<\/strong><\/a> \u2013 and they would most certainly turn you down if you did. Welcome to the complex and fascinating world of voice types.<\/p> The reason is that not all tenors are the same: some sing higher than others, some can easily negotiate fast passages, some have a good deal more vocal weight.<\/p> It\u2019s all to do with what the Germans refer to as \u2018Fach\u2019 \u2013 which means category or compartment. Voices are categorised for their inherent qualities and their suitability for particular operatic roles – though this isn\u2019t an exact science. Singers remain individuals, and there are artists who are impossible to categorise \u2013 Maria Callas<\/a><\/strong>, for instance, who sang an extraordinary range of soprano roles, or that tenor extraordinaire Jonas Kaufmann<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>