Unpack the unique demands of becoming a “Verdi baritone” with Sherrill Milnes, who became one of the world’s most prominent in the 1970s and 80s. Milnes explains that this specialization, while having “no exact meaning,” requires singers to perform “higher, louder, and longer” due to Verdi’s tessitura and orchestration with “lots of brass underneath.” Milnes lays out the vocal characteristics and physical stamina required to excel in this demanding repertoire, a key set of insights for those considering vocal specialization.