A soprano is a singer with a voice range from approximately middle C (C4) to "high A" (A5) in choral music, or to "soprano C" (C6, two octaves above middle C) or higher in operatic music. In four part chorale style harmony the soprano takes the highest part which usually encompasses the melody.

The term "soprano" refers to a female singer. Male singers whose voices have not yet changed are known either as "boy sopranos" or in church traditions as trebles, whilst adult males with a high register are known as countertenors or sopranists.

Historically women were not allowed to sing in the Church so the soprano roles were given to young boys and later to castrati - men whose larynxes had been fixed in a pre-adolescent state through the process of castration.

Types of soprano and soprano roles in opera

In opera, the tessitura, vocal weight, and timbre of soprano voices, and the roles they sing, are commonly categorized into voice types, often called fächer (sg. fach, from German Fach or Stimmfach, "vocal category").

A note on vocal range vs. tessitura: Choral and pop singers are classified into voice parts based on range; solo classical singers are classified into voice types based in part on tessitura – where the voice has the best timbre and easy volume. For instance a soprano and a mezzo-soprano may have the same range, but their tessituras will lie in different parts of that range.

The low extreme for sopranos is roughly B3 or A3 (just below middle C). Often low notes in higher voices project less, lack timbre, and tend to "count less" in roles (although some Verdi, Strauss and Wagner roles call for stronger singing below the staff). Rarely is a soprano simply unable to hit a low note.

The high extreme: at a minimum, non-coloratura sopranos have to reach "soprano C" (C6, two octaves above middle C), and many roles in the standard repertoire call for D6 or D-flat6. A couple of roles have optional E-flat6’s, as well. In the coloratura repertoire several roles call for E-flat6, and the Queen of the Night in The Magic Flute has several staccato F6’s, though few singers will have this role in their repertoire. While not necessarily within the tessitura, a good soprano will be able to sing her top notes full-throated, with timbre and dynamic control.

Following are the operatic soprano classifications, with their standard repertory roles:

Coloratura soprano

• Lyric coloratura soprano - A very agile light voice with a high upper extension, capable of fast vocal coloratura. Lyric coloraturas have a range of approximately middle C (C4) to "high F" (F5). Such a soprano is sometimes referred to as a soprano leggiero if her vocal timbre has a slightly warmer quality.^[1] Bel canto roles were typically written for this voice, and a wide variety of other composers have also written coloratura parts. Baroque music, early music and baroque opera also have many roles for this voice^{[citation needed]}.

Singers include Kathleen Battle, Diana Damrau, Natalie Dessay, Lily Pons, Mado Robin, Erna Sack, Beverly Sills and Ruth Ann Swenson.

• Dramatic coloratura soprano - A coloratura soprano with great flexibility in high-lying velocity passages, yet with great sustaining power comparable to that of a full spinto or dramatic soprano. Various dramatic coloratura roles have different vocal demands for the singer - for instance, the voice that can sing Abigail (Nabucco, Verdi) is unlikely to also sing Lucia (Lucia di Lammermoor, Donizetti), but a factor in common is that the voice must be able to convey dramatic intensity as well as flexibility. Roles written specifically for this kind of voice include the more dramatic Mozart and bel canto female roles and early Verdi.

Examples of dramatic coloraturas include June Anderson, Maria Callas, Diana Damrau, Edita Gruberova, Nelly Miricioiu, Rosa Ponselle, and Joan Sutherland.

It should also be noted that several of the above roles are also the province of lyric coloraturas, and that some dramatic coloraturas move easily between the , the pure lyric soprano, the soubrette and the dramatic coloratura, although rarely into lirico spinto territory.

Soubrette

In classical music and opera, the term Soubrette refers to both a voice type and a particular type of opera role. A soubrette voice is light with a bright, sweet timbre, a tessitura in the mid-range, and with no extensive coloratura.^[2] A soubrette's range extends approximately from middle C (C4) to "high D" (D5).^[3] The soubrette roles are typically found in comic operas or operettas and they usually portray good looking youthful girls who are both flirtatious, saucy, and street wise.^[4] Typically these roles are sung by younger singers and both sopranos and mezzo-sopranos are cast in them. ^[5] Many soubrette roles have a considerable amount of spoken German dialogue, and therefore the soubrette singer must possess both an excellent comprehension of the German language and superior acting skills. Often lyric, coloratura, and mezzo sopranos are cast in soubrette roles, especially in the early part of their singing careers. This does not mean that these singers are soubrette sopranos but it does mean they can play soubrette roles. The Coloratura soprano has a higher range, can sing more dexterous vocal passages and has a somewhat brighter sound than the soubrette. The Lyric soprano has a richer voice and higher range than the soubrette soprano. The mezzo-soprano can sing as high as a soubrette but with a darker timbre and heavier weight in the voice. Mezzos also have a much more extensive range in the lower register. ^[6] In addition, the beautiful light voice of the soubrette is ideal for baroque music, early music and baroque opera, as well as many art songs. However, the soubrette soprano is limited even in this repertoire by its lack of coloratura skill and relatively limited range.

Sopranos who sing or sang soubrette roles: Kathleen Battle, Barbara Bonney, Renee Fleming, Patrice Munsel, Lucia Popp, Anna Netrebko, Elisabeth Schumann, and Dawn Upshaw.

Mezzo-sopranos who sang or sing soubrette roles: Agnes Baltsa, Cecilia Bartoli, snd Christa Ludwig.

Lyric soprano

A warm voice with a bright, full timbre which can be heard over an orchestra. It generally has a higher tessitura than a soubrette and usually plays ingenues and other sympathetic characters in opera. There is a tendency to divide lyric sopranos into two groups:

• Light Lyric soprano - Light lyrics often have a “full package” of musicianship, appearance and stagecraft. This voice needs to be careful in its repertory choices, because smaller houses may offer them meatier (especially spinto) roles if they have good stage presence. Then as they become successful, if they take these heavier roles into larger houses they will damage their voices. There are a wide variety of roles written for this voice, and they may sing soubrette, baroque and other light roles as well.

Singers include Barbara Bonney, Lucrezia Bori, Ileana Cotrubaş, Anna Netrebko, and Elisabeth Schumann.

• Full Lyric soprano - Some full lyrics may have a more mature sound than light lyrics, making them less suitable for some of the lighter roles. Occasionally a full lyric will have a big enough voice that she can take on much heavier roles, using volume in place of vocal weight. This is done when a more lyric timbre is desired in an otherwise heavier role. Otherwise full lyric sopranos need be judicious with spinto and other heavy roles to prevent vocal deterioration.

Singers include Montserrat Caballé, Lisa della Casa, Victoria de los Ángeles, Renee Fleming, Mirella Freni, Angela Gheorghiu, Anna Moffo, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Eleanor Steber, Teresa Stratas, and Kiri Te Kanawa.

Spinto soprano

Also lirico-spinto, Italian for "pushed lyric". It has the brightness and height of a lyric soprano, but can be "pushed" to dramatic climaxes without strain, and may have a somewhat darker timbre. It generally uses squillo to "slice" through a full orchestra (rather than singing over it like a dramatic soprano). It also handles dynamic changes very well. The spinto repertoire includes many Verdi, verismo and Puccini roles, some of which are very popular in opera. The fact that spinto sopranos are uncommon means that these popular roles are often performed by singers from other classifications, and more than a few lyric sopranos have damaged their voices singing spinto roles.

Singers include Renata Tebaldi, Leontyne Price, Aprile Millo, Michelle Crider and Carol Vaness

Dramatic soprano

A powerful, rich, emotive voice that can sing over a full orchestra. Thicker vocal folds in dramatic voices usually mean less agility than lighter voices but a sustained fuller sound. Usually (but not always) this voice has a lower tessitura than other sopranos, and a darker timbre. Used for heroic, tragic women of opera.

Singers include Ghena Dimitrova, Lotte Lehmann, Karita Mattila, Zinka Milanov, Sharon Sweet and Deborah Voigt.

• Wagnerian soprano - A dramatic voice that can assert itself over a large orchestra (over eighty pieces); substantial, very powerful and even throughout the registers. Usually plays a mythic heroine. Successful Wagnerian sopranos are rare, only one or two appear in a generation; most knowledgable people agree that there are no true Wagnerians singing today.^{[citation needed]}

Singers include Birgit Nilsson, Kirsten Flagstad, Gwyneth Jones, Helen Traubel, Eva Turner, and Astrid Varnay.

Intermediate Voice Types

Two types of soprano especially dear to the French are the Dugazon and the Falcon, which are intermediate voice types between the soprano and the mezzo soprano: a Dugazon is a darker-colored soubrette, a Falcon a darker-colored soprano drammatico. ^[7]

Singers include Jessye Norman and Rosa Ponselle (Falcon examples)

Soprano roles in operettas

• Adele (Die Fledermaus)
• Cunegonde (Candide)
• Hanna (Die lustige Witwe)
• Rosalinda (Die Fledermaus)

The Gilbert and Sullivan Savoy operas also have prominent soprano roles.

Soprano roles in musicals

Contemporary and crossover sopranos

This section does not cite any references or sources. Please improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. (November 2007)

See also

• Opera
• List of important operas
• Voice type
• Fach, the German system for classifying voices
• Music
• Bel canto
• Boy soprano

References

1. ^ http://www.dolmetsch.com/defsv2.htm
2. ^ http://www.geocities.com/concertopera/voicetype.html
3. ^ http://www.dolmetsch.com/defsv2.htm
4. ^ http://patriciagray.net/Operahtmls/terms.html#R
5. ^ http://www.operalyra.ca/en/voices
6. ^ http://www.ipasource.com/soprano#KOLORATURSOPRAN/KOLORATUR_SOUBRETTE_(c_to_f)
7. ^ http://pioneer2.aaps.k12.mi.us/choir/voiceclass.html#Soprano

External links

• Collection of public domain scores (Indiana U)
• International Music Score Library Project
• Smaller collection of public domain scores (Harvard)
• Aria database