The Classical Soprano Description Page

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.^[1] For other styles of singing see Voice classification in non-classical music.

The term "soprano" refers to a female singer and never a male. In choral music the term soprano refers to a vocal part or line and not a vocal classification. Male singers whose voices have not yet changed and are singing the soprano line are technically known as "trebles". The term "boy soprano" is often used as well, but this is just a colloquialism and not the true correct term. Adult males with a high register are known as countertenors or sopranists. Therefore, men singing the soprano line are not sopranos, but countertenors singing the soprano line. Adult men should never refer to themselves as sopranos.^[2]

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.^[3]

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").^[4]

A note on vocal range vs. tessitura: 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.^[5]:

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 sing a low note in a song within a soprano role.^[6]

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.^[7]

Following are the operatic soprano classifications (see individual articles for roles and singers):

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" (F6).^[8] To hear an example of a Lyric coloratura soprano (Beverly Sills in the title role of Linda di Chamounix) click on this link: Watch Here

• 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. Dramatic coloraturas have a range of approximately middle C (C4) to "high F" (F6).^[9] To hear an example of a Dramatic coloratura soprano (Joan Sutherland in the title role of Lakme) click on this link: Watch Here

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.^[10] A soubrette's range extends approximately from middle C (C4) to "high D" (D6).^[11] To hear an example of a Soubrette (Dawn Upshaw as Susanna in The Marriage of Figaro) click on this link: Watch Here

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. Lyric sopranos have a range from approximately middle C (C4) to "high D" (D6).^[12] There is a tendency to divide lyric sopranos into two groups:^[13]

• Light lyric soprano- A light-lyric soprano has a bigger voice than a soubrette but still possesses a youthful quality.^[14] To hear an example of a Light lyric soprano (Lucia Popp as Pamina in The Magic Flute) click on this link: Watch Here

• Full lyric soprano- A full-lyric soprano has a more mature sound than a light-lyric soprano and can be heard over a bigger orchestra.^[15] To hear an example of a Full lyric soprano (Kiri Te Kanawa as Marguerite in Faust) click on this link: Watch Here

Spinto soprano

Also lirico-spinto, Italian for "pushed lyric". This voice 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. Spinto sopranos have a range from approximately middle C (C4) to "high D" (D6).^[16] To hear an example of a Spinto soprano (Leontyne Price in title role of Tosca) click on this link: Watch Here

Dramatic soprano

A dramatic soprano has a powerful, rich, emotive voice that can sing over a full orchestra. Usually (but not always) this voice has a lower tessitura than other sopranos, and a darker timbre. Dramatic sopranos have a range from approximately middle C (C4) to "high D" (D6).^[17]

Some dramaric sopranos, known as Wagnerian sopranos, have a very big voice that can assert itself over an exceptionally large orchestra (over eighty pieces). These voices are substantial and very powerful and ideally even throughout the registers.^[18]

• To hear an example of a Dramatic soprano (Jessye Norman in title role of Ariadne auf Naxos) click on this link: Watch Here

• To hear an example of a Wagnerian soprano (Birgit Nilsson as Isolde in Tristan und Isolde) click on this link: Watch Here

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.^[19]

Listen and compare

The voice classification system is meant to be a useful guide but it is not meant to be taken too rigidly. Most singers sing primarily within one grouping, but there are versatile singers who can sing roles in many different vocal sub-categories. For example, listen to full lyric soprano Renee Fleming sing roles from several different soprano sub-types:

• The dramatic soprano role of the Countess in Richard Strauss' Capriccio. Click on this link: Watch Here

• The spinto soprano role of Tosca from Tosca. Click on this link: Watch Here

• The full lyric soprano title role of Rusalka. Click on this link: Watch Here

• The light lyric soprano title role of Manon. Click on this link: Watch Here

• The lyric coloratura aria "Let the bright seraphim" from the oratorio Samson. Click on this link: Watch Here

• The dramatic coloratura role of Leonora from Il trovatore. Click on this link: Watch Here

• The soubrette role of Zerlina from Don Giovanni. Click on this link: Watch Here

See also

• Bel canto
• Boy soprano
• Coloratura soprano
• Dramatic soprano
• Fach, the German system for classifying voices
• List of contemporary and crossover sopranos
• Lyric soprano
• Soubrette
• Voice classification in non-classical music
• Voice type

References

1. ^ Stark (2003),Bel Canto: A History of Vocal Pedagogy, cited below
2. ^ Smith (2005),Choral Pedagogy, cited below
3. ^ Smith (2005),Choral Pedagogy, cited below
4. ^ Coffin (1960), cited below
5. ^ Boldrey (1994),Guide to Operatic Roles and Arias, cited below
6. ^ Boldrey (1994),Guide to Operatic Roles and Arias, cited below
7. ^ Coffin (1960), cited below
8. ^ http://www.dolmetsch.com/defsv2.htm
9. ^ Coffin (1960), cited below
10. ^ http://www.geocities.com/concertopera/voicetype.html
11. ^ http://www.dolmetsch.com/defsv2.htm
12. ^ Coffin (1960), cited below
13. ^ Boldrey (1994),Guide to Operatic Roles and Arias, cited below
14. ^ http://www.nashvilleopera.org/html/ed_OperaOnline_Sop_Ly.php
15. ^ http://www.nashvilleopera.org/html/ed_OperaOnline_Sop_Ly.php
16. ^ Coffin (1960), cited below
17. ^ Coffin (1960), cited below
18. ^ http://articles.gourt.com/en/soprano
19. ^ Coffin (1960), cited below

Further reading