Sunday, October 26, 2008
Soprano: the highest register of the female voice, usually the leading lady’s voice type
Mezzo-soprano: the lower female voice, often darker in color
Aria: music for a single voice; the showstoppers
Recitative: sung text or dialogue for the purpose of furthering the action
Coloratura: a passage of rapid-fire singing or “vocal fireworks” in which a few syllables are stretched over many notes
Libretto: the text of the opera
Washington Post