

What is a contralto? Sometimes simply called “alto,” the contralto is the lowest female singing voice. Another stunning example of soprano singing is this excerpt from Lucia di Lammermoor, starring Natalie Dessay singing about an imagined future that will never come to be. When most people think of soprano arias, this is probably what they think of-and for good reason. These include soubrette or light soprano, coloratura, lyric soprano, spinto soprano, and the full-scale dramatic soprano.įamous soprano roles: The Queen of the Night from Mozart’s The Magic Flute, Lucia from Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor, and Violetta from Verdi’s La Traviataįamous soprano singers: Some of the most famous soprano opera singers are Maria Callas, Renée Fleming, and Natalie Dessay.Įxample: Perhaps the most famous soprano aria (or at least the one that best shows off the soprano voice) is The Queen of the Night’s Act II aria "Der Hölle Rache" from The Magic Flute. Within the larger category of soprano, there are a number of subdivisions that let composers specify the type of voice they want for a specific role. Sopranos typically play the lead female character in an opera and many of the most famous female arias are sung by sopranos.


What is a soprano: A soprano is the highest female singing voice.
