coloratura mezzo-soprano
- noun
- /ˌkoʊləˈrʊtərə ˌmɛtsoʊ səˈprɑːnoʊ/
- Specialized
:
mezzo-soprano coloratura
- She was renowned as a coloratura mezzo-soprano with remarkable precision in her rapid runs and trills.
Examples
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Many operatic roles written for coloratura mezzo-sopranos require both vocal agility and expressive power.
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The coloratura mezzo-soprano dazzled the audience with her vocal agility.
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As a coloratura mezzo-soprano, she effortlessly navigated complicated passages that challenged even experienced singers.
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Did you hear that coloratura mezzo-soprano at the concert last night?
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As a coloratura mezzo-soprano, she effortlessly navigated the complex vocal passages that are characteristic of her voice type.
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Many operatic roles require a coloratura mezzo-soprano to demonstrate both agility and emotional expression.
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Her performance as a coloratura mezzo-soprano showcased her ability to execute rapid ornamentation with precision.
How Ornate
- Specialized
- Specialized
- Specialized
2
6.9
- Specialized
Surface Forms
Morphology
coloratura + mezzo-soprano
The noun phrase is a straightforward modifier + head-noun composition: 'coloratura' (ornate, rapid vocal ornamentation) qualifies 'mezzo-soprano' (a mid-range female singing voice), so a learner who knows both constituents can infer it means a mezzo-soprano who sings in the coloratura style. Although both words are specialist musical terms, their combination follows normal compositional patterns and is cross-linguistically transparent within music terminology.
Etymology
Coloratura mezzo-soprano comes from Italian: coloratura means 'coloring' and refers to fast, fancy singing, and mezzo-soprano means 'middle soprano' or a middle-range female voice. So a coloratura mezzo-soprano is a middle-range singer who can sing very fast, fancy runs and trills.