Soprano

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In music, a soprano is a singer with a voice that usually ranges from middle C to "high C", two octaves above middle C (i.e. C4-C6). Of course some can go lower or higher. In four part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody.

The word "soprano" generally refers to a singer of this highest vocal range and to his or her voice. Male singers whose voices have not yet changed are known either as "boy sopranos" or, in the Anglican and Roman Catholic traditions, as trebles, whereas fully grown male sopranos are known as countertenors or sopranists.

Vocal ranges
Female ranges
Soprano
Mezzo-soprano
Alto or Contralto

Male ranges

Sopranist
Countertenor
Alto
Tenor
Baritenor
Baritone
Bass-baritone
Bass

Other range(s)

Castrato

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

More generally, a soprano is a relatively high-pitched member of a group of similar instruments (for example, the soprano saxophone).

Contents

Common vocal ranges represented
on a musical keyboard
Soprano
Soprano
Alto
Alto
Tenor
Tenor
Bass
Bass

In opera, the character and timbre of soprano voices are often categorized according to the German Fach system. However, several roles are regularly sung by sopranos who are considered to belong to another "Fach". For example, Lyric Coloratura Sopranos, Dramatic Coloratura Sopranos, and Full Lyric Soprano often sing Lucia (Lucia di Lammermoor)because sopranos of either three Fachs may have the same upper voice extension up to F6. Sopranos usually play the heroine in opera. The soprano Fächer, with examples of respective roles, are:

  • Soubrette: A sweet, lightweight voice whose range is mostly in middle voice. Plays comedic, saucy, but likable characters. Note: Sometimes, if their voice is capable enough, some soubrettes can sing some of the roles listed in the "lyric coloratura" range - such as Gilda, Musetta, Norina, Rosina, Zerbinetta, among others.
  • Lirico-spinto, or lyric spinto, soprano: Italian for "pushed lyric" or "middleweight". This soprano voice possesses the the vocal colour of a lyric soprano but also the dramatic push of a spinto. A lirico-spinto soprano sings the roles of both voice type, as well as occasionally singing roles in the dramatic soprano repertoire, making it one of the most versatile soprano voices in opera. The most famous operatic lirico-spinto soprano is (Leontyne Price), who performed almost all of the roles in the lyric and spinto repertoire.



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.


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