Top 10 roles for bass and bass-baritone

Boris Godunov (bass) from Moussorgsky's Boris Godunov. This goes at the top of the list. #58

Figaro (bass) from Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro. This is listed second for its importance in the repertoire. #5

Dutchman (bass-baritone) from Wagner’s Der Fliegende Holländer. These three roles go at the top because they are some of the very few lead roles for bass/bass-baritone.  #25

Sarastro (bass) from Mozart's Die Zauberflöte. He is a benign presence who rules over the mythical kingdom of the magic flute.  #1

Baron Ochs von Lerchenau (bass) from Strauss’ Der Rosenkavalier. If you can handle the German dialect, this is a fabulous part. He is buffo.  #37

Don Magnifico (bass) from Rossini’s La Cenerentola. He is buffo. If you count arias of significance, he is the lead character in this opera.  #29

Méphistophélès (bass-baritone) from Gounod’s Faust. He is the villain.  #35

Hans Sachs (bass-baritone) from Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg by Wagner.  This role can be magnificent if the singer makes it so.. #77

Méphistophélès (bass) from Boito’s Mefistofele. Of course, he is also the villain.  #67

Counting as a single role are Doctor Miracle, Coppélius and Lindorf (all bass-baritones) from Offenbach's Les Contes d'Hoffmann. These are all villains and are often played by the same person.  #30