# Classifying a soprano type



## GeorgiPeev03 (Aug 30, 2018)

I'm posting this in the non-classical thread because it's not purely symphonic-related. It's symphonic metal and it's about a very unpopular band whose singer sings opera vocals and has soprano range but that's where I can reach to with my not-so-nig knowledge. What soprano type is the singer? Dramatic, sprinto, lyric, soubrette or coloratura?


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## Guest (Aug 30, 2018)

Reckon you're not _the_ Georgi Peev the Bulgarian midfielder, eh? Of course he wore number 13 and not 3 so you must be a different "Georgi Peev" -  but welcome to the forum and congratulations on making your first post!

The group featured is "Imperia" - a symphonic metal band. The group was formed in 2004 by Norwegian singer Helena Iren Michaelsen following her dismissal from Dutch band Sahara Dust (currently known as Epica). The band is a true cross-border unit of musicians originating from different European countries: Norway, Finland, Germany and Belgium.

Helena Iren Michaelsen (born 2 June 1977) is a Norwegian soprano and is the singer of the Dutch band Imperia and the solo project Angel. She was a former member of Sahara Dust (now Epica) and Trail of Tears.

You may have had more luck posting this thread in "Opera" but everyone in "Non-Classical Music" is amazingly versatile and everyone can play any position that is required in any of the forums. As long as you've chosen this section we can at least try to provide some help...

First we need to define the terms so that we can collectively reach a conclusion -

The *coloratura soprano* may be a *lyric coloratura* or a *dramatic coloratura*. The lyric coloratura soprano is a very agile light voice with a high upper extension capable of fast vocal coloratura. Light coloraturas have a range of approximately middle C (C4) to "high F" (in alt) (F6) with some coloratura sopranos being able to sing somewhat lower or higher, e.g. an interpolated A♭6.

The *dramatic coloratura soprano* is a coloratura soprano with great flexibility in high-lying velocity passages, yet with great sustaining power comparable to that of a full spinto or dramatic soprano. Dramatic coloraturas have a range of approximately "low B" (B3) to "high F" (F6) with some coloratura sopranos being able to sing somewhat higher or lower.

In classical music and opera, a *soubrette soprano* refers to both a voice type and a particular type of opera role. A soubrette voice is light with a bright, sweet timbre, a tessitura in the mid-range, and with no extensive coloratura. The soubrette voice is not a weak voice, for it must carry over an orchestra without a microphone like all voices in opera. The voice, however, has a lighter vocal weight than other soprano voices with a brighter timbre. Many young singers start out as soubrettes, but, as they grow older and the voice matures more physically, they may be reclassified as another voice type, usually either a light lyric soprano, a lyric coloratura soprano, or a coloratura mezzo-soprano. Rarely does a singer remain a soubrette throughout her entire career. A soubrette's range extends approximately from middle C (C4) to "high D" (D6). The tessitura of the soubrette tends to lie a bit lower than the lyric soprano and spinto soprano.

The* lyric soprano* is a warm voice with a bright, full timbre, which can be heard over a big orchestra. It generally has a higher tessitura than a soubrette and usually plays ingénues and other sympathetic characters in opera. Lyric sopranos have a range from approximately below middle C (C4) to "high D" (D6).

The *lyric soprano* may be a *light lyric soprano* or a *full lyric soprano*. The light lyric soprano has a bigger voice than a soubrette but still possesses a youthful quality. The full lyric soprano has a more mature sound than a light-lyric soprano and can be heard over a bigger orchestra.

Also *lirico-spinto*, Italian for "pushed lyric", the *spinto soprano* has the brightness and height of a lyric soprano, but can be "pushed" to dramatic climaxes without strain, and may have a somewhat darker timbre. Spinto sopranos have a range from approximately from B (B3) to "high D" (D6).

A *dramatic soprano* (or *soprano robusto*) has a powerful, rich, emotive voice that can sing over a full orchestra. Usually (but not always) this voice has a lower tessitura than other sopranos, and a darker timbre. Dramatic sopranos have a range from approximately A (A3) to "high C" (C6).

Some dramatic sopranos, known as Wagnerian sopranos, have a very big voice that can assert itself over an exceptionally large orchestra (over eighty pieces). These voices are substantial and very powerful and ideally even throughout the registers.

Two other types of soprano 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.

Okay... I did the heavy lifting... Now it's up to someone else although if you were to ask me she appears to be a mic-upped soprano using "Auto-tune" but hey, what do I know, eh?

Hope that this helps but this is about the extent of the advice and guidance that I can provide as I'm really quite busy fine-tuning my "Turn It Up!" - Herman's Hermits" thread...

I'll reach out to someone in "Opera" and have them stop by and answer your question but again welcome to the forum!

- Syd


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## GeorgiPeev03 (Aug 30, 2018)

Wow, thank you very much for the huge full explanation. No, I'm not  It's just a name coincidence :lol: 
I chose to write here because I thought it wouldn't be acceptable to post a not fully classical-music related link somewhere else (and a I'm new here, I don't know if would be acceptable yet)


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## Guest (Aug 30, 2018)

You're more than welcome and it's great to see that you have a finely developed sense of humour as that is a quality that is much prized here.

This is a link to the New Members - Introduction page -

https://www.talkclassical.com/new-members-introductions/

Read through some of the introductions and the replies received - you'll get some idea as to how you might want to introduce yourself and you'll also get a chance to explain just who you are and what you're interested in.

You'll receive a great many responses in which people will both welcome you to the forum and also inquire as to the specifics of your interests so that they may guide you in the right direction.

You will also find yourself being greeted by some of the forum's most approachable members - those who are willing to provide the advice and guidance that you may need. You can post a reply and ask whatever questions you may have - someone somewhere will be willing to help you.

The only other advice that I can provide is to read as much as you can about the threads that interest you so that you can get a feel for the general tone and tenor of the conversations that are being held upon the forum. Use the search box at the top right of each page - learn to navigate through the "Advanced Search" feature to find threads that may have receded into the past.

Every thread has someone who is approachable - ask before acting if you are at all unsure of yourself.

Write about music - you can wander wherever you want as there are a great many interesting nooks and crannies within the forum but it really is all about the music and so don't get lost wandering around the amusement park, eh?

And so without further ado - welcome and enjoy!

- Syd


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