The high female singing voice in opera, choir, and music in general, with a singing range from C4 (middle C) to D6 (D over a woman's high C) just over two octaves above.
Situated over the mezzo-soprano (who often plays her rival), the soprano usually plays the female lead in opera and musical theater, usually the heroine.
Many pop and broadway singers are sopranos, although the vocal subcategories used in opera are not applied to them. Examples include Amy Adams, Sarah Brightman, Julie Andrews, Allison Crowe, Joni Mitchell, Dolly Parton, Jayma Mays, Charlotte Church, Mariah Carey, Minnie Riperton, Floor Jansen and Kristin Chenoweth.
Situated over the mezzo-soprano (who often plays her rival), the soprano usually plays the female lead in opera and musical theater, usually the heroine.
Many pop and broadway singers are sopranos, although the vocal subcategories used in opera are not applied to them. Examples include Amy Adams, Sarah Brightman, Julie Andrews, Allison Crowe, Joni Mitchell, Dolly Parton, Jayma Mays, Charlotte Church, Mariah Carey, Minnie Riperton, Floor Jansen and Kristin Chenoweth.
According to vocal weight/voice type and range, sopranos are usually divided into five different categories:
Soubrette: usually a beginner whose voice is developing, a light voice with less strength in extreme high and low notes, she plays flirtatious and sassy but sweet comical characters.
Coloratura: a flexible, flute-like voice with a very high range, she performs vocal acrobatics. Examples include Sumi Jo, Natalie Dessay, and Beverly Sills
Lyric soprano: A strong, sweet, lightweight voice usually reserved for the ingenue and other likable characters. Examples include Renee Fleming, Tarja Turunen, Kiri Te Kanawa, and Mirella Freni.
Spinto soprano: A lyric voice with a strong dramatic edge, a bridge between lyric and dramatic. Examples include Leontyne Price, Renata Tebaldi, and Roxana Briban.
Dramatic soprano: A powerful, emotive, edgy voice which is suited to bold, desperate, tragic heroines. Examples include Maria Callas, Floor Jansen, Karita Mattila and Deborah Voigt.
Soubrette: usually a beginner whose voice is developing, a light voice with less strength in extreme high and low notes, she plays flirtatious and sassy but sweet comical characters.
Coloratura: a flexible, flute-like voice with a very high range, she performs vocal acrobatics. Examples include Sumi Jo, Natalie Dessay, and Beverly Sills
Lyric soprano: A strong, sweet, lightweight voice usually reserved for the ingenue and other likable characters. Examples include Renee Fleming, Tarja Turunen, Kiri Te Kanawa, and Mirella Freni.
Spinto soprano: A lyric voice with a strong dramatic edge, a bridge between lyric and dramatic. Examples include Leontyne Price, Renata Tebaldi, and Roxana Briban.
Dramatic soprano: A powerful, emotive, edgy voice which is suited to bold, desperate, tragic heroines. Examples include Maria Callas, Floor Jansen, Karita Mattila and Deborah Voigt.
by Lorelili July 6, 2011
Get the soprano mug.When you are a soprano and alto singer at the same time. You can sing high and low in a girl's range of voice.
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The main character of the greatest game on earth- Kingdom Hearts. However, compared to Riku, Sora can be very naive at times.
Riku: Sora, truth is, I have always been kinda...jealous of you..
Sora: What for? O.o?
Riku: (OMFG you retard, take a friggin guess...I mean, I get taken over by Ansem, manipulated by Maleficant, I had to TURN into Ansem just to save your sorry ass, while you are enjoying your beauty sleep. I NEVER EVEN RESTED AFTER OUR ISLAND GOT BLOWN UP!! Oh, and to top it off, Kairi loves YOU - NOT ME, you fucktard...can't you even take a hint?") ... I'm glad to have a friend like you...
Sora: ...same here...
Sora: What for? O.o?
Riku: (OMFG you retard, take a friggin guess...I mean, I get taken over by Ansem, manipulated by Maleficant, I had to TURN into Ansem just to save your sorry ass, while you are enjoying your beauty sleep. I NEVER EVEN RESTED AFTER OUR ISLAND GOT BLOWN UP!! Oh, and to top it off, Kairi loves YOU - NOT ME, you fucktard...can't you even take a hint?") ... I'm glad to have a friend like you...
Sora: ...same here...
by Guruji May 11, 2006
Get the sora mug.Boss of the Soprano Mafia family in the HBO series "The Sopranos." Arguably the greatest mafia chararcter ever depicted on film.His dual personality of being both a loving father and a viscous killer makes him such an intersting character.
Meadow Soprano-"Are you in the mafia?
****Tony's facial expression goes from a happy one to a disgruntled one****
Tony Soprano-"NO!There is no mafia!"
****Tony's facial expression goes from a happy one to a disgruntled one****
Tony Soprano-"NO!There is no mafia!"
by 0scar69 March 27, 2007
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The medium female singing voice in opera and non-classical music (although in the choir, the mezzo-soprano and the contralto are lumped together as altos). The mezzo-soprano has a range of two octaves from A3 (below middle C) to A5 (just two notes short of high C). This is the most common female voice.
Situated between the soprano and contralto, the mezzo-soprano typically plays supporting roles (mothers, maidservants, friends of the heroine) as well as villainous women like the femme fatale (the saying among mezzo-sopranos and contraltos is that they play "witches, britches, and bitches").
Many pop singers are mezzo-sopranos, although the vocal subcategories used in opera are not applied to them. Examples include Madonna, Beyonce, Patti Lupone, Ethel Merman, Tori Amos, Mary J. Blige, Aretha Franklin, Jennifer Hudson, Whitney Houston (since the mid-1990s), Enya, Janet Jackson, Barbra Streisand, Alanis Morissette, and Sarah McLachlan.
Situated between the soprano and contralto, the mezzo-soprano typically plays supporting roles (mothers, maidservants, friends of the heroine) as well as villainous women like the femme fatale (the saying among mezzo-sopranos and contraltos is that they play "witches, britches, and bitches").
Many pop singers are mezzo-sopranos, although the vocal subcategories used in opera are not applied to them. Examples include Madonna, Beyonce, Patti Lupone, Ethel Merman, Tori Amos, Mary J. Blige, Aretha Franklin, Jennifer Hudson, Whitney Houston (since the mid-1990s), Enya, Janet Jackson, Barbra Streisand, Alanis Morissette, and Sarah McLachlan.
Based on vocal weight/voice type, mezzo-sopranos re divided into three subtypes:
Coloratura mezzo-soprano: Light, flexible, pure, very agile and sings very ornate passages (very rare voice). Examples include Cecilia Bartoli, Marilyn Horne, and Jennifer Larmore, and Vivica Genaux.
Lyric mezzo-soprano: Light, mellow, strong and often plays trouser roles (a woman who plays boys and adolescent males) as well as perfectly feminine characters. Examples include Frederica von Stade, Anne Sophie von Otter, Tatiana Troyanos, and Katherine Jenkins.
Dramatic mezzo-soprano: Powerful, rich, warm and with a stronger (and seductive) lower range than a soprano, she is reserved for the roles of villains (temptresses, femmes fatales, witches) as well as mothers and friends of the soprano. Examples include Grace Bumbry, Dolora Zajick, Denyce Graves, Olga Borodina, and Viorica Cortez.
Mezzo-sopranos can't sing high notes as easily as sopranos (they sound appropriately wild and crazed when they do), but they get their revenge by playing some of the spiciest roles ever.
Coloratura mezzo-soprano: Light, flexible, pure, very agile and sings very ornate passages (very rare voice). Examples include Cecilia Bartoli, Marilyn Horne, and Jennifer Larmore, and Vivica Genaux.
Lyric mezzo-soprano: Light, mellow, strong and often plays trouser roles (a woman who plays boys and adolescent males) as well as perfectly feminine characters. Examples include Frederica von Stade, Anne Sophie von Otter, Tatiana Troyanos, and Katherine Jenkins.
Dramatic mezzo-soprano: Powerful, rich, warm and with a stronger (and seductive) lower range than a soprano, she is reserved for the roles of villains (temptresses, femmes fatales, witches) as well as mothers and friends of the soprano. Examples include Grace Bumbry, Dolora Zajick, Denyce Graves, Olga Borodina, and Viorica Cortez.
Mezzo-sopranos can't sing high notes as easily as sopranos (they sound appropriately wild and crazed when they do), but they get their revenge by playing some of the spiciest roles ever.
by Lorelili July 7, 2011
Get the mezzo-soprano mug.sexy, smart, cool, best friend ever, has one guy head over heels for her but she cant see it, her name is used to describe everything beautiful
by behindthesewalls October 23, 2013
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