OPERA TERMS Flashcards
OVERTURE
a song at the beginning of an opera that has no words and sets the mood for the whole story
OPERA
a play in musical form where all dialogue is sung
SOPRANO
the highest singing voice of women or boy, usually the heroine
CONTRALTO
the lowest female voice, sometimes a villain
TENOR
the highest natural adult male singing voice, usually the hero
BASS
the lowest male voice, usually the father or an old man
ARIA
a solo song in an opera, literally means “air”
BARITONE
the middle male singing voice, usually the villain
CADENZA
A passage, usually at the end of a musical number, in which singers perform a few improvised measures of vocally showy music to show off.
COLORATURA
Elaborately ornamented vocal music used both to depict a character’s heightened emotional state and to display a singer’s ‘athletic’ virtuosity
PRIMA DONNA
an important female opera star, literally “first lady”
LIBRETTO
the text sung in an opera, literally “little book”
OPERA BUFFA
a light-hearted, funny opera
OPERA SERIA
a sad, serious opera , usually involves a death
VIBRATO
a gentle vibration in the singing voice, adds warmth and expressiveness
