Maria Callas was not a spinto soprano. She had a very dark and heavy core like a dramatic soprano. Renata Tebaldi or Zinka Milanov would've been better examples of a spinto soprano. Also, soubrette, lyric, spinto, and dramatic are all indicative of vocal weights, but coloratura is more of a technique. Sure, some voices are anatomically born more agile, but every voice can display some level of coloratura (literally just means "colored," meaning embellishment) especially when trained to fit such repertoire. It's like training your muscles to fit a particular style of sports or dance.
The literal translation of colored in Italian is colorato or colorata. Coloratura literally means coloratura. It’s an opera term of art in Italian and English and it is a category of singer or of type of singing, not a technique. Don’t make things up.
@@jondavwal13 coloratura IS INDEED a technique. English speakers have acquired this habit of using "she's a coloratura" as synonym for "high soprano". Coloratura is a technique and belongs to all voices, even basses.
@@idraote Coloratura is not a technique. It is a type of florid singing involving trills, runs, arpeggios, and alternate notes for repeating phrases. Each one of those require a specific technique. Coloratura is the umbrella term for that way of singing. You’ve obviously never sung a note in your life. It can also be used to describe a soprano. As I said it is a category of singer or type of singing, not a technique.
@@jondavwal13 My dear, your presumption knows no boundaries. Nor does your rudeness. I am a classically trained baritone and I insist that coloratura is a technique. You disagree? I don't care. We shall agree to disagree, if your rudeness allows it.
Did you heard Callas Armida ? Lakmé ? Lucia ? And she also interpret Medea and La Gioconda, I don't know any spinto with such a diversified repertoire, callas was a dramatico coloratura and you forget the "true" dramatico soprano such as Ponselle. Her A5 were divine...
Grace Bumbry, whom I once met, became famous as a mezzo, then sang soprano roles. Maybe because mezzos are in demand, whereas there's always a glut of sopranos. She was either a spinto or dramatic or a mezzo. Jessye Norman was a dramatic soprano or dramatic mezzo, IMO actually a helden, she had a gigantic voice, I saw her in performance. When you have a huge voice, you can sing anything. And it's always good to sing lighter, less demanding pieces to spare the voice from overwork. That is why Sutherland's career was so long and solid. It's in the last few centuries that categorization of soprano voices became necessary, as repertoire became more demanding of weighty voices. Even as it is, so many sopranos sing repertoire that is too heavy for them, so today there are mostly flash in the pan meteors rather than the enduring stars of the golden age of opera. In fact, more, not less, emphasis on classification is necessary, to caution the deluded sopranos who want to sing everything and thereby quickly kill their careers.
A reporter foolihsly asked Ms. Norman about her voice type to which she responded "Pigeon holes are only comfortable for pigeons". The more I sing, the less I care about voice typing.....and the more I notice that the people who are so hung up on it are the people who are not singing,....both pedagogy folks who no longer sing or non singers.
@@tanyacroberts Can someone please explain to me...Are voice classifications primarily for classically trained/opera singers? because all videos focus on them; what about current day singers in pop, rock and RNB? do they benefit from the same classification? I don't know anything about singing and voices
@@cygnetlake8017 not really. Opera puts a lot of emphasis on purity of tone, precision of pitch and general cleanliness of emission. That's the reason why to untrained ears, opera singers sound very similar to each other. Pop/rock/etc. feature voices that wouldn't be acceptable in opera. The use of the microphone allows the singer to sing very low, often with a raspy, throaty tone and to go very high by emitting sounds that nobody would tolerate in opera. It is often difficult to classify pop/rock/etc singers according to opera classification.
Maria Callas was a sizable Dramatic coloratura soprano. Which made her voice quite rare and versatile to handle almost every Soprano and Mezzo role or aria. While she did sing some coloratura roles, she avoided coloratura roles utilizing fast coloratura embellishments, runs and cadenzas because of the heavier nature of her voice being unable to keep up with the tempo without going off key. She's most ideally suited for Lyric, Spinto and verdi roles. Was not at all a Spinto Soprano but can sing Spinto roles because of the unique dexterity of her voice.
Can someone please explain to me...Are voice classifications primarily for classically trained/opera singers? because all videos focus on them; what about current day singers in pop, rock and RNB? do they benefit from the same classification? I don't know anything about singing and voices :/
@@cygnetlake8017 voice classifications are primarily for classical and Choral music to sort or categorize singers into a certain repertoire of composer written music in opera. These repertoire can include music written for: agile, light, middle weight and heavier voice. Coloratura (fast and flexible riffs and runs) Lyric (standard light weight singer) and dramatic( dark, heavy, powerful or imposingly loud robust voices. In Opera, vocal category or classifications are termed as "fach" with the qualities and specialisations listed above. Vocal classifications are: Soprano: Coloratura, Lyric, Spinto dramatic. Mezzo-soprano: Coloratura, Lyric and dramatic Contralto: Coloratura, Lyric and dramatic Countertenor: mostly all assumed as Lyrical types since this voice is rare and difficult to place into a subcategory of its own. They can be placed based on range and height of this voice. Male Soprano, male Mezzo-soprano or the standard equivalent range and quality of a contralto Tenor: leggeiro, lyric, Spinto, dramatic Baritone: Light baritone( baryton Martin), Lyric Baritone, cavalier baritone(Spinto), dramatic/verdi baritone, bass baritone. Bass: lyric and dramatic types For Non-classical music, the operatic classifications are not the same case. Instead, Non-classical music which would be choir music in church or group singing. along with every genre of music wether pop, R&B, country etc. the classifications termed for non-operatic music are just voice types, example: Soprano Alto Tenor Baritone Bass In church choir music Soprano Tenor Alto Bass. Many women with alto classifications in Non-classical music are actually mostly Mezzo-sopranos- (2nd sopranos) (Lazy sopranos)a voice classifications that is the second highest female voice after the Soprano. Same with male counterparts of Tenor and Baritone. in reality as true altos (contraltos- low female are a rarity so the Mezzo-soprano assumes or replaces this classification in Non-classical music as the Alto. In Non-classical music. Classifications don't matter as all voice types are welcome and suited for almost every genre. Bass singer mostly exist in rock/metal music and church choir music with the lows. So far I've only seen some Bass Baritones in pop music. Hope this was helpful
@@jevonsaunders3023 oh my days thank you so much for this well written and well explained reply! I understand so much better now. I have other questions but if it’s a bother you don’t have to reply and I know not every question can get answered by one person… But singing fascinates me so here goes: What if there is a pair of twins both with equal gift and talent for singing… if one was trained in classical singing and the other was trained in non classical singing how do the skills and techniques differ ?( in essence how or what makes opera voices so amplified and powerful without a mic) Also after time past, can the non classical twin be trained to sing opera and vice versa can the classical twin be able to sing more modern genres like pop, country rnb etc ??? I sure hope you can help me with this knowledge lol
@@cygnetlake8017 The skill and techniques vary based on Genre differences and style of singing. Operatic singing is styled in a way of belting, wavering and quivering, wobbling hallowing notes like an instrument. Which makes opera as unique as it sounds by the style which it is sung. Example like a human wind instrument in most commonly the Italian language. The goal of operatic singing is to be able to project the voice over large audience in front of an orchestra and still be heard without a microphone close in hand. Depending on the size of the theatre or venue sometimes stick projected like microphones are used but not hand held microphones. Mask singing is utilized to sound as naturally loud as possible with good breath technique and vocal mechanics training without strain or struggle. For sopranos, head voice is mostly used. For other lower voice they have to mix their other registers because of the lower placements of their voices. Some Mezzos and Counter tenors do sing in head voice at certain transitional phases of their voice but the Soprano utilizes head voice singing the most. In Non-classical music the same techniques are employed in vocal training but with western style of riffs, runs, ad libs etc especially when singing in English and the style of the genre. Just as any of your favorite artists. Be it Whitney Houston, Usher, Beyonce Justin Timberlake, Kesha etc. some artists create their own unique style that sets them apart from other artists. It just that they won't be utilizing the operatic style in Western music. Some do experiment and try to mix genres. Gospel rock, popera, afro-beat etc. but the standard pop, R&B genres are the nitty gritty. I'm pretty sure identical twins as fo anyone else can transition to other genres of music if they can use the style of that genre. For transition to Opera requires years of training to have the fruitiest voice with good fiction, pronunciation of the Italian language. The art of opera is more complex than any other genre of music. It's a science and discipline within its own with rules and a genre with professional criticism and judgement that will have you crying in defeat backstage after a poor performance and no standing ovation or loud applause. You'll know wether or not you did well on stage based on the noise and standing reactions of the audience. Singing operatic is like trying to be one of the best cuisine gormet chefs in the world. Food has to taste stupendous and well presented. Same with the operatic voice. People can be great singers based on natural ability or vocal training even if you were originally a non-singer. Anyone can learn to sing if they have the passion and determination for it. Being twins has nothing to do with choice of genre. Twins will be of the same voice type obviously since they're identical and sound the same too. Usually but not always. There are many lyric tenors out there but not all of them can sound like Pavarotti who was also a lyric tenor. To distinguish identical voice is to just utilize a different vocal style in whichever genre the twins chose individually. One may be better at one genre than the other and vice versa. They'll have to choose what best work for them to figure what sets them apart if they're not a duo or rivals of the same genre. Singing can be for recreation, professional career, for talent competitions, funerals, weddings, Karaoke and just for show. Wether or not you'd be confident enough for a large audience.
A soubrette is the most common soprano voice. A real full lyric is much less common. Jessye wasn't a true dramatic. She could and did sing some of that rep. She was an extremely rare Falcon soprano. She didn't have the carry power like niellson or flagstaff. But oh my was that voice like bathing in chocolate.
@@canalesworks1247 bigger no. Ever hear her live? It was the largest voice I’ve ever heard in person, especially in the middle. Her issues were her notes above Bb, which were never consistent. I’ve heard everybody live including Nilsson. Norman’s voice was larger without being cutting.
@@KajiVocals oh please bugger off. Are you the fach police? I'll use it and have my opinion whenever I want. You just said I misused a non "real" classification. I'm not speaking about rep, but the unique quality of her voice. Now go away.
@@KajiVocals So, telling me I am misusing the term Falcon soprano as it's not a "real" classification. Yet the term Falcon Soprano exists, albeit, not in the German sense of fach. She sounded like a Falcon Soprano... which is a type of singer, whether singing the rep or not.... Now, stop being pedantic... i merely offered my opinion, as everyone determine what the fach is offering theirs.
Help.. I’m the range of a really high soprano in my every day voice, my voice has been nicknamed the “Disney princess voice” by my family since I was born. I am an adult now and my voice has not changed. I can easily sing in the range of the queen of the night in Mozarts magic flute if I warm up, and do a very accurate imitation of the original cartoon snow white without even trying. The problem? This is my normal range. I have no vocal training, and have a large enough range that I could also sing all the way to the mid to higher end of tenor. But if I am not in my natural high pitched range it doesn’t sound good. And this world has NO PLACE for high sopranos except as opera singers. Every single google search of me trying to learn how to sing properly in my natural range leads to dead ends. Every famous soprano non-opera is a mezzo-soprano. Even just looking up “songs for soprano” leads to songs for mezzo or regular soprano singers, which just doesn’t sound as good with my natural high pitched voice. I watched this video hoping it would be different because I have seen this vocal coach before and thought it would be more informative, but it is still all about opera. HELP ME!!!! I don’t even know what to do anymore, I am feeling more than a little defeated. Are there no other options for me besides opera??? It’s beautiful but I want more…
Does your speaking voice sound also very high pitched and light? Or do you speak in a more "mid-range" tone? In any case, I strongly recommend identifying a very experienced coach who can help you identify and elaborate on your lower range.
I’m also a soprano of the higher variety. In my 20’s I was a light coloratura; now at 47, my voice has darkened to a slightly warmer coloratura. I can sing coloratura operatic rep, but I’m also a decent rock singer. The key for a high soprano singing nonclassical music and sounding good is to spend time developing your chest (belting) register and learning how to mix chest and head voice. You need your chest voice to have solid lower notes, and you need your head voice for your power and “ping”. Blending the two, like singing a note using about 40% chest / 60% head, will open up a whole new world of vocal colors. I also strongly recommend looking up symphonic metal singers Simone Simons and Floor Jansen - both sopranos. And get a good teacher! Good luck!
Sutherland and Callas defied real classification. Norman, despite the comments here, was a true dramatic for anybody who had the good fortune to hear her live.
i consider myself more of a coloratura as ive done more training, i started out as a light lyric. but i decided i wanted to sing more coloratura repertoire
Exactly - this is a lot of BS. Grace Bumbry always said: I dont care what you want to call me - I sing the rtoles I think are right for my voice and that I want to sing. Spinto shminto - call them what you want. One can either sing roles or one cant. All this nonsense discussion about giving names to a voice type. It's a post war syndrome. 18th and 19th Century composers never used the words spinto, lyric and whatever other names you come up with. End of the story!
Perfect example of how the five major voice types combine to form other, more specific types! Gilda is a Lyric Coloratura - she needs a strong middle voice but also the upper extension and flexibility of a coloratura!
Joan Sutherland… dramatic coloratura. Missed that one. And the fact the you used Diana Damrau as an example of anything shows me I’ll never trust anything you say. Cheers
She certainly did the bel canto repertoire justice! But some would say she was actually a MEZZO! What comfort and presence in her low to middle range! I’m of the Spinto camp, but she had such an incredible instrument that could dip into so many fachs!
@@tanyacrobertsI think she was a dramatic soprano with coloratura extension, an Italian-type, not a Wagnerian hochdramatisch of course, but she had a dark, metallic sound and a very big voice. Renata Tebaldi, Leontyne Price, Zinka Milanov or Aprile Millo are great examples of a spinto soprano. I had a big discography of Norman and I can tell, she was a mezzo who had learnt the soprano placement and could sing some low soprano parts but at a true high soprano range she mostly failed,listen to her Aida with Cossotto. Cossotto who sang Amneris had a much lighter voice than Norman. This is my opinion of course)
@@davidmuller9938who do you think then is true dramatic coloratura soprano? I’m not an expert but most i see from youtube commenters consider sutherland and calls as dramatic sopranos with virtuosity (which i also don’t know what it actually means) anyway i just love listening to old time opera
this is a lot of BS. Grace Bumbry always said: I dont care what you want to call me - "I sing the roles I think are right for my voice and that I want to sing." Jessye Norman said "Pigeon holes are fine for pigeons - not singers!" Spinto shminto - call them what you want. One can either sing roles or one cant. All this nonsense discussion about giving names to a voice type. It's a post war syndrome. 18th and 19th Century composers never used the words spinto, lyric and whatever other names you come up with. End of the story!
This was useful. The opera dept. at my music school was something we avoided because of divas. There is an Irish singer, Nóirín ní Riain, who has a glorious soprano voice (see Ave Verum). What kind is she?
brightman is classical lyric (but she isn't an opera singer, so i wouldn't categorize her in fach system), sandi... idk. never heard of. sutherland was dramatic coloratura (you're able to find this one even on wiki)
I’m an opera student and likely a dramatic soprano. It sucks. XD it’s such a hard balance. 2 years in and I’m only just getting pieces of vibrato, though to be fair, it was only a couple semesters ago that we realized I was likely a dramatic that had been hiding as a lyric. Apparently that’s super common.
I like dramatic Sopranos. They're voices are heavier more powerful than a lyric or Spinto Soprano. Mostly the Spinto will be the Dramatic Soprano's rival for certain shared roles between these two voices because of the almost similar size and dramaticism. The dramatic sopranos high notes are more cavernously powerful. Though less flexible they carry sustained power notes that are imposing to the audience
I think it’s more of what you can be. Soubrettes might develop into lyric sopranos over time, but no matter how much I train I could never be a Wagnerian soprano. It’s like trying to become a completely different instrument.
Exactly! You don’t get to choose - your instrument is what it is, based on your physiology. Of course, voices do change with age, and training with a good teacher can make a big difference. But if you try to make your voice artificially dark, bright, heavy, light, etc, you’re going to be introducing tension, which is nearly always a bad thing for vocal health.
Callas compared to a trully spinto-dramatic soprano is way ligther. Françoise Pollet is a true example of dramatic soprano. And honestly, dimrau’s voice is kinda heavy for a caloratura. Gruberova in her prime was an example of coloratura soprano… and gruberova’s voice is lighter than the first example.
Ohh i want to understand how a dramatic soprano sounds but i cant find a good example for a real dramatic soprano, who are the best dramatic sopranos there? Anyone can suggest me to listen?
it needs to be said, though, that these are just the 5 fundamental voice types. there are also merges and subdivisions. for example highly dramatic (extremely are), lyrical coloratura, dramatic coloratura (extremely rare).
this is a lot of BS. Grace Bumbry always said: I dont care what you want to call me - "I sing the roles I think are right for my voice and that I want to sing." Jessye Norman said "Pigeon holes are fine for pigeons - not singers!" Spinto shminto - call them what you want. One can either sing roles or one cant. All this nonsense discussion about giving names to a voice type. It's a post war syndrome. 18th and 19th Century composers never used the words spinto, lyric and whatever other names you come up with. End of the story!
Hi, In my childhood and until very recently, I was classified as a mezzo. My current vocal range is F3-G6 according to the app Sing Sharp. My tessitura begins at about Bb3-B3. I think I’m a lyric soprano based on your video, but any help or advice would be be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
That's a huge vocal range, brava! That encompasses a coloratura range, for sure - but I think when defining a voice type, even more important than the range is the tessitura, or where the voice likes to sit. Where in your range do you prefer to sing for long periods of time without getting tired? Also important to consider is your vibe, your energy. What characters align the most with your natural personality?
@@tanyacroberts Thank you, I’m still learning about my vocal boundaries. I’m using the app specifically to teach myself to read notes, but. My tessitura begins at approximately B3 and goes to about C6. My voice is very light. I think the artist I like to emulate most would be Mandy Moore due to her light and airy nature. Think Disney Princess! ❤️
"sassy" ... "street wisdom"? hmmm... seems like there are other descriptors that might be a better match for "light, lyric, bright timbre" descriptors.
There's such a range of descriptors, for sure - but when you want to distill a type within 20 seconds, gotta generalize! That said, can you name an operatic soubrette role where the character doesn't display a sass and streetwise quality that many of those around her don't have?!
Mezzo soprano literally means “half soprano” - but mezzos can often sing just as high as many sopranos! But the mezzo soprano has a very different timbre and tessitura than the soprano. The tone does tend to be darker, fuller, with a lot of strength in the middle and low voice. And the voice likes to live in a lower overall part of the treble staff. There’s a richness in the mezzo sound that sets it apart from the soprano sound. Idea for another video! 😃
I like your chooses but I can’t make out what you’re saying , the singing in the background a bit loud, I wish I was a lyric soprano but I’m more a spinto , always trying to lighten up , I love the lyric repertoire
this is a lot of BS. Grace Bumbry always said: I dont care what you want to call me - "I sing the roles I think are right for my voice and that I want to sing." Jessye Norman said "Pigeon holes are fine for pigeons - not singers!" Spinto shminto - call them what you want. One can either sing roles or one cant. All this nonsense discussion about giving names to a voice type. It's a post war syndrome. 18th and 19th Century composers never used the words spinto, lyric and whatever other names you come up with. End of the story!
@@maximillian6222more of a dramatic with good coloratura skills but she was far away from true natural born coloratura sopranos like Sills, Gruberova, Moser or Sutherland. She was the best in verismo/Italian dramatic repertoire, the coloratura roles mostly destroyed her voice because they sit too high for her and in my opinion she sounded mostly unnatural... And Caballe was a lyric in my opinion not a spinto. A spinto is Tebaldi, Arroyo or Milanov, all darker amd bigger voice than Canalle.
With apologies, the five types of sopranos: can't count; really can't count; can count okay once she gets started; gets mad whenever people get lost a lot if she happens to be singing as part of the ensemble, which happens a lot more to her than other people, so it's unfair to her; and, of course, the rest, who are all treasures, especially compared to tenors!
Oh my god, all second & third rate sopranos chosen for every category, except Callas of course. But she’s miscategorized. Serafin called her the Big Ugly Voice. K Battle the affirmative action singer hates you forever for calling her a soubrette. Placido Domingo once said that Joan Sutherland (Voice of the Century) could outsing everyone and he was right. Joan Sutherland can’t be categorized im glad you didn’t include her. She’s just La Stupenda, the rest is end of sale merchandise.
Absolutely open to interpretation! And there is so much sub-nuance to each of the types as well! And of course, they combine in so many ways! But this is what I’ve come to generalize after 20+ years in the business.
![[MV] A leap of faith...ความเชื่อใจครั้งสุดท้าย (From "Petrichor the series")](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/U1piZH2CNXA/mqdefault.jpg)
Callas was Soprano Assoluta! I would use Montserrat Caballe or Leontyne Price as an example for spinto soprano
Caballe and Price were lyric sopranos. Lol. Nowhere near the weight of an actual spinto soprano like Tebaldi, Caniglia, Milanov.
Maria Callas was not a spinto soprano. She had a very dark and heavy core like a dramatic soprano. Renata Tebaldi or Zinka Milanov would've been better examples of a spinto soprano. Also, soubrette, lyric, spinto, and dramatic are all indicative of vocal weights, but coloratura is more of a technique. Sure, some voices are anatomically born more agile, but every voice can display some level of coloratura (literally just means "colored," meaning embellishment) especially when trained to fit such repertoire. It's like training your muscles to fit a particular style of sports or dance.
The literal translation of colored in Italian is colorato or colorata. Coloratura literally means coloratura. It’s an opera term of art in Italian and English and it is a category of singer or of type of singing, not a technique. Don’t make things up.
Callas had a lighter voice than Tebaldi…
@@jondavwal13 coloratura IS INDEED a technique. English speakers have acquired this habit of using "she's a coloratura" as synonym for "high soprano".
Coloratura is a technique and belongs to all voices, even basses.
@@idraote Coloratura is not a technique. It is a type of florid singing involving trills, runs, arpeggios, and alternate notes for repeating phrases. Each one of those require a specific technique. Coloratura is the umbrella term for that way of singing. You’ve obviously never sung a note in your life. It can also be used to describe a soprano. As I said it is a category of singer or type of singing, not a technique.
@@jondavwal13 My dear, your presumption knows no boundaries. Nor does your rudeness.
I am a classically trained baritone and I insist that coloratura is a technique.
You disagree? I don't care. We shall agree to disagree, if your rudeness allows it.
Did you heard Callas Armida ? Lakmé ? Lucia ? And she also interpret Medea and La Gioconda, I don't know any spinto with such a diversified repertoire, callas was a dramatico coloratura and you forget the "true" dramatico soprano such as Ponselle. Her A5 were divine...
Same thoughts, Maria Callas is more than a Spinto Soprano. She is the Soprano Assoluta
Grace Bumbry, whom I once met, became famous as a mezzo, then sang soprano roles. Maybe because mezzos are in demand, whereas there's always a glut of sopranos. She was either a spinto or dramatic or a mezzo. Jessye Norman was a dramatic soprano or dramatic mezzo, IMO actually a helden, she had a gigantic voice, I saw her in performance. When you have a huge voice, you can sing anything. And it's always good to sing lighter, less demanding pieces to spare the voice from overwork. That is why Sutherland's career was so long and solid. It's in the last few centuries that categorization of soprano voices became necessary, as repertoire became more demanding of weighty voices. Even as it is, so many sopranos sing repertoire that is too heavy for them, so today there are mostly flash in the pan meteors rather than the enduring stars of the golden age of opera. In fact, more, not less, emphasis on classification is necessary, to caution the deluded sopranos who want to sing everything and thereby quickly kill their careers.
A reporter foolihsly asked Ms. Norman about her voice type to which she responded "Pigeon holes are only comfortable for pigeons". The more I sing, the less I care about voice typing.....and the more I notice that the people who are so hung up on it are the people who are not singing,....both pedagogy folks who no longer sing or non singers.
Being a Lyric singer demands perfection, so all the singers featured in this video are perfect, but I simply love Callas and Diana Damrau!!!
Maria Callas was not a spinto but a dramatic coloratura soprano. The best there ever was.
Going with Montserrat Caballe on that one
Maria Callas, the best ever, a wonderful diva.
@@sandyno1089 ...with an ugly voice.
I can't carry a tune in a bucket, but I love the lyric sound
LOL hey, the lyrics out there need an audience! We need you!
@tanyacroberts going to see the Edmonton Opera do Don Giovanni in a few weeks!
@@alleycat-oy5kv I love this! I've sung with Edmonton Opera many times! They're a WONDERFUL company deserving of so much support. Thank you!
@@tanyacroberts Can someone please explain to me...Are voice classifications primarily for classically trained/opera singers? because all videos focus on them; what about current day singers in pop, rock and RNB? do they benefit from the same classification? I don't know anything about singing and voices
@@cygnetlake8017 not really. Opera puts a lot of emphasis on purity of tone, precision of pitch and general cleanliness of emission. That's the reason why to untrained ears, opera singers sound very similar to each other.
Pop/rock/etc. feature voices that wouldn't be acceptable in opera. The use of the microphone allows the singer to sing very low, often with a raspy, throaty tone and to go very high by emitting sounds that nobody would tolerate in opera.
It is often difficult to classify pop/rock/etc singers according to opera classification.
Maria Callas was a sizable Dramatic coloratura soprano.
Which made her voice quite rare and versatile to handle almost every Soprano and Mezzo role or aria.
While she did sing some coloratura roles, she avoided coloratura roles utilizing fast coloratura embellishments, runs and cadenzas because of the heavier nature of her voice being unable to keep up with the tempo without going off key.
She's most ideally suited for Lyric, Spinto and verdi roles.
Was not at all a Spinto Soprano but can sing Spinto roles because of the unique dexterity of her voice.
Can someone please explain to me...Are voice classifications primarily for classically trained/opera singers? because all videos focus on them; what about current day singers in pop, rock and RNB? do they benefit from the same classification? I don't know anything about singing and voices :/
@@cygnetlake8017 voice classifications are primarily for classical and Choral music to sort or categorize singers into a certain repertoire of composer written music in opera.
These repertoire can include music written for: agile, light, middle weight and heavier voice. Coloratura (fast and flexible riffs and runs) Lyric (standard light weight singer) and dramatic( dark, heavy, powerful or imposingly loud robust voices.
In Opera, vocal category or classifications are termed as "fach" with the qualities and specialisations listed above.
Vocal classifications are:
Soprano:
Coloratura, Lyric, Spinto dramatic.
Mezzo-soprano:
Coloratura, Lyric and dramatic
Contralto:
Coloratura, Lyric and dramatic
Countertenor: mostly all assumed as Lyrical types since this voice is rare and difficult to place into a subcategory of its own. They can be placed based on range and height of this voice. Male Soprano, male Mezzo-soprano or the standard equivalent range and quality of a contralto
Tenor:
leggeiro, lyric, Spinto, dramatic
Baritone:
Light baritone( baryton Martin), Lyric Baritone, cavalier baritone(Spinto), dramatic/verdi baritone, bass baritone.
Bass: lyric and dramatic types
For Non-classical music, the operatic classifications are not the same case. Instead, Non-classical music which would be choir music in church or group singing. along with every genre of music wether pop, R&B, country etc. the classifications termed for non-operatic music are just voice types, example:
Soprano
Alto
Tenor
Baritone
Bass
In church choir music
Soprano
Tenor
Alto
Bass.
Many women with alto classifications in Non-classical music are actually mostly Mezzo-sopranos- (2nd sopranos) (Lazy sopranos)a voice classifications that is the second highest female voice after the Soprano. Same with male counterparts of Tenor and Baritone.
in reality as true altos (contraltos- low female are a rarity so the Mezzo-soprano assumes or replaces this classification in Non-classical music as the Alto.
In Non-classical music. Classifications don't matter as all voice types are welcome and suited for almost every genre.
Bass singer mostly exist in rock/metal music and church choir music with the lows. So far I've only seen some Bass Baritones in pop music.
Hope this was helpful
@@jevonsaunders3023 oh my days thank you so much for this well written and well explained reply! I understand so much better now. I have other questions but if it’s a bother you don’t have to reply and I know not every question can get answered by one person… But singing fascinates me so here goes:
What if there is a pair of twins both with equal gift and talent for singing… if one was trained in classical singing and the other was trained in non classical singing how do the skills and techniques differ ?( in essence how or what makes opera voices so amplified and powerful without a mic) Also after time past, can the non classical twin be trained to sing opera and vice versa can the classical twin be able to sing more modern genres like pop, country rnb etc ???
I sure hope you can help me with this knowledge lol
@@cygnetlake8017 The skill and techniques vary based on Genre differences and style of singing.
Operatic singing is styled in a way of belting, wavering and quivering, wobbling hallowing notes like an instrument. Which makes opera as unique as it sounds by the style which it is sung. Example like a human wind instrument in most commonly the Italian language.
The goal of operatic singing is to be able to project the voice over large audience in front of an orchestra and still be heard without a microphone close in hand. Depending on the size of the theatre or venue sometimes stick projected like microphones are used but not hand held microphones.
Mask singing is utilized to sound as naturally loud as possible with good breath technique and vocal mechanics training without strain or struggle.
For sopranos, head voice is mostly used. For other lower voice they have to mix their other registers because of the lower placements of their voices. Some Mezzos and Counter tenors do sing in head voice at certain transitional phases of their voice but the Soprano utilizes head voice singing the most.
In Non-classical music the same techniques are employed in vocal training but with western style of riffs, runs, ad libs etc especially when singing in English and the style of the genre. Just as any of your favorite artists. Be it Whitney Houston, Usher, Beyonce Justin Timberlake, Kesha etc. some artists create their own unique style that sets them apart from other artists. It just that they won't be utilizing the operatic style in Western music. Some do experiment and try to mix genres. Gospel rock, popera, afro-beat etc. but the standard pop, R&B genres are the nitty gritty.
I'm pretty sure identical twins as fo anyone else can transition to other genres of music if they can use the style of that genre.
For transition to Opera requires years of training to have the fruitiest voice with good fiction, pronunciation of the Italian language. The art of opera is more complex than any other genre of music. It's a science and discipline within its own with rules and a genre with professional criticism and judgement that will have you crying in defeat backstage after a poor performance and no standing ovation or loud applause. You'll know wether or not you did well on stage based on the noise and standing reactions of the audience.
Singing operatic is like trying to be one of the best cuisine gormet chefs in the world. Food has to taste stupendous and well presented. Same with the operatic voice.
People can be great singers based on natural ability or vocal training even if you were originally a non-singer. Anyone can learn to sing if they have the passion and determination for it.
Being twins has nothing to do with choice of genre. Twins will be of the same voice type obviously since they're identical and sound the same too. Usually but not always.
There are many lyric tenors out there but not all of them can sound like Pavarotti who was also a lyric tenor.
To distinguish identical voice is to just utilize a different vocal style in whichever genre the twins chose individually. One may be better at one genre than the other and vice versa. They'll have to choose what best work for them to figure what sets them apart if they're not a duo or rivals of the same genre.
Singing can be for recreation, professional career, for talent competitions, funerals, weddings, Karaoke and just for show. Wether or not you'd be confident enough for a large audience.
@@jevonsaunders3023 omg thanks so much for this response…your have cleared up many years of confusion for me …I appreciate this🙏
A soubrette is the most common soprano voice. A real full lyric is much less common.
Jessye wasn't a true dramatic. She could and did sing some of that rep. She was an extremely rare Falcon soprano. She didn't have the carry power like niellson or flagstaff. But oh my was that voice like bathing in chocolate.
True about Jessye. Great tone but there were bigger, more blistering dramatics out there.
@@canalesworks1247 bigger no. Ever hear her live? It was the largest voice I’ve ever heard in person, especially in the middle. Her issues were her notes above Bb, which were never consistent. I’ve heard everybody live including Nilsson. Norman’s voice was larger without being cutting.
Misuse of the term Falcon soprano. She never touched any Cornélie Falcon repertoire. Nor is it a real classification.
@@KajiVocals oh please bugger off. Are you the fach police? I'll use it and have my opinion whenever I want. You just said I misused a non "real" classification. I'm not speaking about rep, but the unique quality of her voice. Now go away.
@@KajiVocals So, telling me I am misusing the term Falcon soprano as it's not a "real" classification. Yet the term Falcon Soprano exists, albeit, not in the German sense of fach. She sounded like a Falcon Soprano... which is a type of singer, whether singing the rep or not.... Now, stop being pedantic... i merely offered my opinion, as everyone determine what the fach is offering theirs.
Help.. I’m the range of a really high soprano in my every day voice, my voice has been nicknamed the “Disney princess voice” by my family since I was born. I am an adult now and my voice has not changed. I can easily sing in the range of the queen of the night in Mozarts magic flute if I warm up, and do a very accurate imitation of the original cartoon snow white without even trying. The problem? This is my normal range. I have no vocal training, and have a large enough range that I could also sing all the way to the mid to higher end of tenor. But if I am not in my natural high pitched range it doesn’t sound good. And this world has NO PLACE for high sopranos except as opera singers. Every single google search of me trying to learn how to sing properly in my natural range leads to dead ends. Every famous soprano non-opera is a mezzo-soprano. Even just looking up “songs for soprano” leads to songs for mezzo or regular soprano singers, which just doesn’t sound as good with my natural high pitched voice. I watched this video hoping it would be different because I have seen this vocal coach before and thought it would be more informative, but it is still all about opera. HELP ME!!!! I don’t even know what to do anymore, I am feeling more than a little defeated. Are there no other options for me besides opera??? It’s beautiful but I want more…
Does your speaking voice sound also very high pitched and light? Or do you speak in a more "mid-range" tone?
In any case, I strongly recommend identifying a very experienced coach who can help you identify and elaborate on your lower range.
I’m also a soprano of the higher variety. In my 20’s I was a light coloratura; now at 47, my voice has darkened to a slightly warmer coloratura. I can sing coloratura operatic rep, but I’m also a decent rock singer.
The key for a high soprano singing nonclassical music and sounding good is to spend time developing your chest (belting) register and learning how to mix chest and head voice. You need your chest voice to have solid lower notes, and you need your head voice for your power and “ping”. Blending the two, like singing a note using about 40% chest / 60% head, will open up a whole new world of vocal colors.
I also strongly recommend looking up symphonic metal singers Simone Simons and Floor Jansen - both sopranos. And get a good teacher!
Good luck!
I've had vocal training/lessons for 10 years. My most recent singing teacher said I am a dramatic soprano but i don't know what to do with it? 😅
Sutherland and Callas defied real classification. Norman, despite the comments here, was a true dramatic for anybody who had the good fortune to hear her live.
Norman was an extended mezzo with an amazing instrument but not a dramatic soprano. How many dramatic soprano roles did she sing?
@@Wotan123456789 I heard her live in at least 3 plus the Isolde at Tanglewood, which was magnificent aside from an occasional pinched high note.
@@jondavwal13 No doubt she was magnificent, as she was a great singer and artist
@@Wotan123456789 Did you ever post on the NYTimes Opera Forum?
@@jondavwal13 Maybe
i consider myself more of a coloratura as ive done more training, i started out as a light lyric. but i decided i wanted to sing more coloratura repertoire
Maria Callas is a Dramatico Coloratura
To quote Jessye Norman, "Pigeonholes are only comfortable for pigeons." th-cam.com/video/A2V1rVVMRFM/w-d-xo.html
Exactly - this is a lot of BS. Grace Bumbry always said: I dont care what you want to call me - I sing the rtoles I think are right for my voice and that I want to sing. Spinto shminto - call them what you want. One can either sing roles or one cant. All this nonsense discussion about giving names to a voice type. It's a post war syndrome. 18th and 19th Century composers never used the words spinto, lyric and whatever other names you come up with. End of the story!
I want to be a lyric soprano! Or whatever voice Gilda was in Rigoletto. Actually I think Verdi is coloratura.
Perfect example of how the five major voice types combine to form other, more specific types! Gilda is a Lyric Coloratura - she needs a strong middle voice but also the upper extension and flexibility of a coloratura!
Joan Sutherland… dramatic coloratura. Missed that one. And the fact the you used Diana Damrau as an example of anything shows me I’ll never trust anything you say. Cheers
I want to be Cai Thomas, soprano boy voice, years ago, he was impecable singing Mozarts requiem laudate dominun. Today is a Young baritone
I’m none of these I just find it interesting🤣 I really love the spinto soprano. I myself, well I don’t know what voice I am but I do sing.
Don’t forget Joan Sutherland was a dramatic coloratura soprano with the darkness and power of a dramatic soprano but agility of a coloratura
Callas will always be remembered as a DRAMATIC COLORATURA.
She certainly did the bel canto repertoire justice! But some would say she was actually a MEZZO! What comfort and presence in her low to middle range! I’m of the Spinto camp, but she had such an incredible instrument that could dip into so many fachs!
@@tanyacrobertsI think she was a dramatic soprano with coloratura extension, an Italian-type, not a Wagnerian hochdramatisch of course, but she had a dark, metallic sound and a very big voice. Renata Tebaldi, Leontyne Price, Zinka Milanov or Aprile Millo are great examples of a spinto soprano.
I had a big discography of Norman and I can tell, she was a mezzo who had learnt the soprano placement and could sing some low soprano parts but at a true high soprano range she mostly failed,listen to her Aida with Cossotto. Cossotto who sang Amneris had a much lighter voice than Norman. This is my opinion of course)
@@davidmuller9938who do you think then is true dramatic coloratura soprano? I’m not an expert but most i see from youtube commenters consider sutherland and calls as dramatic sopranos with virtuosity (which i also don’t know what it actually means) anyway i just love listening to old time opera
this is a lot of BS. Grace Bumbry always said: I dont care what you want to call me - "I sing the roles I think are right for my voice and that I want to sing." Jessye Norman said "Pigeon holes are fine for pigeons - not singers!" Spinto shminto - call them what you want. One can either sing roles or one cant. All this nonsense discussion about giving names to a voice type. It's a post war syndrome. 18th and 19th Century composers never used the words spinto, lyric and whatever other names you come up with. End of the story!
This was useful. The opera dept. at my music school was something we avoided because of divas. There is an Irish singer, Nóirín ní Riain, who has a glorious soprano voice (see Ave Verum). What kind is she?
Can you tell us which soprano class were: Sarah brightman, Sandi patty and Joan Southernland? THnaks!
brightman is classical lyric (but she isn't an opera singer, so i wouldn't categorize her in fach system), sandi... idk. never heard of. sutherland was dramatic coloratura (you're able to find this one even on wiki)
Sandi Patty was trained as a coloratura soprano.
I’m an opera student and likely a dramatic soprano. It sucks. XD it’s such a hard balance. 2 years in and I’m only just getting pieces of vibrato, though to be fair, it was only a couple semesters ago that we realized I was likely a dramatic that had been hiding as a lyric. Apparently that’s super common.
I like dramatic Sopranos. They're voices are heavier more powerful than a lyric or Spinto Soprano. Mostly the Spinto will be the Dramatic Soprano's rival for certain shared roles between these two voices because of the almost similar size and dramaticism.
The dramatic sopranos high notes are more cavernously powerful. Though less flexible they carry sustained power notes that are imposing to the audience
Well, I know the frustration of voice confusion. I started as a lyric soprano and ended up a bass.. 😂
It takes a long time so many years of training
Is really about wanting to be, or what you can be with your instrument? How many can you achieve with training?
I think it’s more of what you can be. Soubrettes might develop into lyric sopranos over time, but no matter how much I train I could never be a Wagnerian soprano. It’s like trying to become a completely different instrument.
Exactly! You don’t get to choose - your instrument is what it is, based on your physiology. Of course, voices do change with age, and training with a good teacher can make a big difference. But if you try to make your voice artificially dark, bright, heavy, light, etc, you’re going to be introducing tension, which is nearly always a bad thing for vocal health.
Callas compared to a trully spinto-dramatic soprano is way ligther. Françoise Pollet is a true example of dramatic soprano. And honestly, dimrau’s voice is kinda heavy for a caloratura. Gruberova in her prime was an example of coloratura soprano… and gruberova’s voice is lighter than the first example.
Such an ignorant comment.
Damrau's voice was a whistle compared to Gruberova, who has a rather large instrument.
Ohh i want to understand how a dramatic soprano sounds but i cant find a good example for a real dramatic soprano, who are the best dramatic sopranos there? Anyone can suggest me to listen?
Birgit Nilsson for sure! There are tons of videos on YT.
it needs to be said, though, that these are just the 5 fundamental voice types. there are also merges and subdivisions. for example highly dramatic (extremely are), lyrical coloratura, dramatic coloratura (extremely rare).
Yep, was looking for this. But this clearly is a 101 type of video and that’s ok :)
this is a lot of BS. Grace Bumbry always said: I dont care what you want to call me - "I sing the roles I think are right for my voice and that I want to sing." Jessye Norman said "Pigeon holes are fine for pigeons - not singers!" Spinto shminto - call them what you want. One can either sing roles or one cant. All this nonsense discussion about giving names to a voice type. It's a post war syndrome. 18th and 19th Century composers never used the words spinto, lyric and whatever other names you come up with. End of the story!
@@Yves_Ka step in front of a mirror and talk to yourself, Karen 😂
I guess a "high dramatic" would be Birgit Nilsson who could really sing in a high tessitura like Turandot?
Hi, In my childhood and until very recently, I was classified as a mezzo. My current vocal range is F3-G6 according to the app Sing Sharp. My tessitura begins at about Bb3-B3. I think I’m a lyric soprano based on your video, but any help or advice would be be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
That's a huge vocal range, brava! That encompasses a coloratura range, for sure - but I think when defining a voice type, even more important than the range is the tessitura, or where the voice likes to sit. Where in your range do you prefer to sing for long periods of time without getting tired? Also important to consider is your vibe, your energy. What characters align the most with your natural personality?
@@tanyacroberts Thank you, I’m still learning about my vocal boundaries. I’m using the app specifically to teach myself to read notes, but. My tessitura begins at approximately B3 and goes to about C6. My voice is very light. I think the artist I like to emulate most would be Mandy Moore due to her light and airy nature. Think Disney Princess! ❤️
Do you have recorded examples on your TH-cam channel???
@@canalesworks1247Hi, not yet. But I am working on some song demos. Do you really think I should put them up? ☺️
@@Reign-Drop Sure, why not? People post stuff all the time. As long as you feel it's of decent quality go for it.
So much exquisite talent in those clips. 💋🤌
Totally! But I also love that what we know about vocal production continues to increase! I think singers are getting better all the time!
Agreed.
"sassy" ... "street wisdom"? hmmm... seems like there are other descriptors that might be a better match for "light, lyric, bright timbre" descriptors.
btw, i love the content otherwise. I think these are GREAT examples of the way notes in the same range can be executed by stylistic choices.
There's such a range of descriptors, for sure - but when you want to distill a type within 20 seconds, gotta generalize! That said, can you name an operatic soubrette role where the character doesn't display a sass and streetwise quality that many of those around her don't have?!
@@tanyacroberts good point about what others don't have. I'll have to think about it.
I’m a coloratura
Woohoo!
Where does mezzo fit in, is it simply darker?
Mezzo soprano literally means “half soprano” - but mezzos can often sing just as high as many sopranos! But the mezzo soprano has a very different timbre and tessitura than the soprano. The tone does tend to be darker, fuller, with a lot of strength in the middle and low voice. And the voice likes to live in a lower overall part of the treble staff. There’s a richness in the mezzo sound that sets it apart from the soprano sound. Idea for another video! 😃
@@tanyacroberts Thank you for taking the time to answer so fully! Love your knowledge and enthusiasm!
@@tanyacroberts do spinto mezzo sopranos exist? or do you just go from mezzo to spinto with time?
I like your chooses but I can’t make out what you’re saying , the singing in the background a bit loud, I wish I was a lyric soprano but I’m more a spinto , always trying to lighten up , I love the lyric repertoire
These comments are hysterical
Cathleen Battle is not a subrette
Infatti, io la definirei soprano leggero di agilità, visto il suo repertorio
@@niuldo Hai ragione.
Callas and Sutherland were dramatic sopranos, but were trained to have extensions in the coloratura range.
this is a lot of BS. Grace Bumbry always said: I dont care what you want to call me - "I sing the roles I think are right for my voice and that I want to sing." Jessye Norman said "Pigeon holes are fine for pigeons - not singers!" Spinto shminto - call them what you want. One can either sing roles or one cant. All this nonsense discussion about giving names to a voice type. It's a post war syndrome. 18th and 19th Century composers never used the words spinto, lyric and whatever other names you come up with. End of the story!
I am all of them, and I am also a guy. No, not a countertenor, I am more of a sopranist like a castrato with his treasure still intact 😂
Maria Callas a dramatic coloratura not spinto!!
What a fascinating instrument she had! It evolved so much throughout her career and took on so many rep designations!
@@tanyacroberts yes but you said in your video that she was spinto its incorrect, Caballe was Spinto Callas was Dramatic coloratura
Caballe was a lyric soprano, not a spinto. Tebaldi was a spinto soprano@@maximillian6222
@@maximillian6222more of a dramatic with good coloratura skills but she was far away from true natural born coloratura sopranos like Sills, Gruberova, Moser or Sutherland. She was the best in verismo/Italian dramatic repertoire, the coloratura roles mostly destroyed her voice because they sit too high for her and in my opinion she sounded mostly unnatural...
And Caballe was a lyric in my opinion not a spinto. A spinto is Tebaldi, Arroyo or Milanov, all darker amd bigger voice than Canalle.
@@davidmuller9938 I always get confused about Caballe and Tebaldi ,people consider Tebaldi lyric and Caballe spinto and all the way around
00:08 who is she?
Kathleen Battle
With apologies, the five types of sopranos:
can't count;
really can't count;
can count okay once she gets started;
gets mad whenever people get lost a lot if she happens to be singing as part of the ensemble, which happens a lot more to her than other people, so it's unfair to her;
and, of course, the rest, who are all treasures, especially compared to tenors!
Oh my god, all second & third rate sopranos chosen for every category, except Callas of course. But she’s miscategorized. Serafin called her the Big Ugly Voice. K Battle the affirmative action singer hates you forever for calling her a soubrette. Placido Domingo once said that Joan Sutherland (Voice of the Century) could outsing everyone and he was right. Joan Sutherland can’t be categorized im glad you didn’t include her. She’s just La Stupenda, the rest is end of sale merchandise.
We had a beauty contest in our village, all women in the village participated, no one won.
too busy and noisy to undertstnad and truly hear the types.... too much going on....
I would disagree with some of this definition and examples...
Absolutely open to interpretation! And there is so much sub-nuance to each of the types as well! And of course, they combine in so many ways! But this is what I’ve come to generalize after 20+ years in the business.
😅i can barely understand what you are saying😅! The voices of sopranos dominate the wholr explanation😅.poor production.😅