1925–30; < German, equivalent to Helden- combining form of Held hero + Tenor tenor
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In the small roles of the Theater Manager and Banker, Julian Close made a notable Met debut, showing a strong dark voice; Daniel Brenna, the American heldentenor, was slightly pale as Dr. Schön’s son Alwa.
From Washington Post • Nov. 6, 2015
This Canadian heldentenor is the choice for next year's bicentennial Ring at Bayreuth: he has the stamina and the notes.
From The Guardian • Oct. 6, 2012
Both companies field strong casts, but the standout was Australian heldentenor Stuart Skelton, whose Parsifal in London was just about ideal.
From Seattle Times • Feb. 21, 2011
Reviewing his Siegmund at Bayreuth in 1976, Harold C. Schonberg wrote in The New York Times, “He may be the heldentenor of the future.”
From New York Times • Dec. 1, 2010
A pure heldentenor, Cassilly possessed a booming, heroic voice that ideally suited grand Wagnerian roles.
From Time Magazine Archive
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
