the soprano

the top of the bill

the soprano is the highest female voice, roughly C4 to C6, and opera has been arranged around it for three hundred years. the soprano gets the mad scenes, the coloratura fireworks, and the heroine's deathbed — usually in the same evening.

soprano fächer, from light to dramatic:

coloratura  →  the sparkle (queen of the night)
soubrette   →  the ingenue (susanna)
lyric       →  the warmth (mimi)
dramatic    →  the storm (tosca, brünnhilde)

if you're a soprano

protect the top like a fine instrument. the high notes are a byproduct of good breath and an open throat — not a thing you push for. aria tunes your warmups to the lyric range, then lets you reach for the coloratura when you're ready.