# Dramatic soprano

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A **dramatic soprano** is a type of [operatic](/source/Opera) [soprano](/source/Soprano) with a powerful, rich, emotive voice that can sing over, or cut through, a full orchestra. Thicker [vocal folds](/source/Vocal_folds) in dramatic voices usually (but not always) mean less agility than lighter voices but a sustained, fuller sound.[citation needed] Usually this voice has a lower [tessitura](/source/Tessitura) than other sopranos, and a darker [timbre](/source/Timbre). They are often used for [heroic](/source/Hero), often long-[suffering](/source/Suffering), [tragic](/source/Tragic) women of opera. Dramatic sopranos have a [range](/source/Vocal_range) from approximately low A ([A3](/source/Scientific_pitch_notation)) to "high C" (C6).[1] Some dramatic sopranos, known as **Wagnerian sopranos** or **High dramatic sopranos** (high in this case referring to the maturity of the voice, rather than the tessitura or range), have an exceptionally big voice that can assert itself over a large orchestra (of more than 80 or even 100 players). These voices are substantial, often denser in tone, extremely powerful and, ideally, evenly balanced throughout the [vocal registers](/source/Vocal_register). [Wagnerian](/source/List_of_works_for_the_stage_by_Richard_Wagner) sopranos usually play mythic heroines. Successful Wagnerian sopranos are rare and often Wagnerian roles are performed by Italianate dramatic sopranos.[1]

## Dramatic roles

The following dramatic roles are for dramatic sopranos:[2]

- Amelia, *[Un ballo in maschera](/source/Un_ballo_in_maschera)* (Verdi)
- Arabella, *[Arabella](/source/Arabella)* ([Richard Strauss](/source/Richard_Strauss))
- Ariadne, *[Ariadne auf Naxos](/source/Ariadne_auf_Naxos)* (Richard Strauss)
- Cassandre, *[Les Troyens](/source/Les_Troyens)* ([Berlioz](/source/Hector_Berlioz))
- Chrysothemis, *[Elektra](/source/Elektra_(opera))* (Richard Strauss)
- Elisabeth, *[Tannhäuser](/source/Tannh%C3%A4user_(opera))* ([Wagner](/source/Richard_Wagner))
- Elsa, *[Lohengrin](/source/Lohengrin_(opera))* (Wagner)
- Fata Morgana, *[The Love for Three Oranges](/source/The_Love_for_Three_Oranges)* ([Prokofiev](/source/Sergei_Prokofiev))
- Gioconda, *[La Gioconda](/source/La_Gioconda_(opera))* ([Ponchielli](/source/Amilcare_Ponchielli))
- Giulietta, *[Tales of Hoffmann](/source/Tales_of_Hoffmann)* ([Offenbach](/source/Jacques_Offenbach))
- Helena, *[Die ägyptische Helena](/source/Die_%C3%A4gyptische_Helena)* (Richard Strauss)
- Die Kaiserin, *[Die Frau ohne Schatten](/source/Die_Frau_ohne_Schatten)* (Richard Strauss)
- Leonore/Fidelio, *[Fidelio](/source/Fidelio)* ([Beethoven](/source/Ludwig_van_Beethoven))
- Maddalena, *[Andrea Chénier](/source/Andrea_Ch%C3%A9nier)* ([Giordano](/source/Umberto_Giordano))
- Marie, *[Wozzeck](/source/Wozzeck)* ([Alban Berg](/source/Alban_Berg))
- Minnie, *[La fanciulla del West](/source/La_fanciulla_del_West)* ([Puccini](/source/Giacomo_Puccini))
- Norma, *[Norma](/source/Norma_(opera))* ([Bellini](/source/Vincenzo_Bellini))
- Odabella, *[Attila](/source/Attila_(opera))* (Verdi)
- Queen of Hearts, *[Alice in Wonderland](/source/Alice_in_Wonderland_(opera))* ([Unsuk Chin](/source/Unsuk_Chin))
- Salome, *[Salome](/source/Salome_(opera))* (Richard Strauss)
- Santuzza, *[Cavalleria rusticana](/source/Cavalleria_rusticana)* ([Mascagni](/source/Pietro_Mascagni))
- Sélika, *[L'Africaine](/source/L'Africaine)* ([Giacomo Meyerbeer](/source/Giacomo_Meyerbeer))
- Sieglinde, *[Die Walküre](/source/Die_Walk%C3%BCre)* (Wagner)
- Turandot, *[Turandot](/source/Turandot)* ([Puccini](/source/Giacomo_Puccini))
- Valentine, *[Les Huguenots](/source/Les_Huguenots)* (Giacomo Meyerbeer)
- Vanessa, *[Vanessa](/source/Vanessa_(opera))* ([Samuel Barber](/source/Samuel_Barber))

## High dramatic soprano roles

The following roles are for suitable for High dramatic/Wagnerian sopranos:[2]

- Brünnhilde, *[Die Walküre](/source/Die_Walk%C3%BCre)*, *[Siegfried](/source/Siegfried_(opera))*, *[Götterdämmerung](/source/G%C3%B6tterd%C3%A4mmerung)* ([Wagner](/source/Richard_Wagner))
- Elektra, *[Elektra](/source/Elektra_(opera))* ([Richard Strauss](/source/Richard_Strauss))
- Isolde, *[Tristan und Isolde](/source/Tristan_und_Isolde)* (Wagner)
- The Wife, *[Die Frau ohne Schatten](/source/Die_Frau_ohne_Schatten)* (Richard Strauss)
- Senta, *[Der fliegende Holländer](/source/Der_fliegende_Holl%C3%A4nder)* (Wagner)
- Kundry, *[Parsifal](/source/Parsifal)* (Wagner)
- Ortrud, *[Lohengrin](/source/Lohengrin_(opera))* (Wagner)

## See also

- [Coloratura soprano](/source/Coloratura_soprano)
- [Lyric soprano](/source/Lyric_soprano)
- [Soubrette](/source/Soubrette)
- [Spinto soprano](/source/Spinto_soprano)

## References

**Notes**

1. Coffin (1960)

1. Boldrey (1994)

**Sources**

- Boldrey, Richard (1994). *Guide to Operatic Roles and Arias*. Caldwell Publishing. ISBN 978-1-877761-64-5.
- Coffin, Berton (1960). [*Coloratura, Lyric and Dramatic Soprano, Vol. 1*](https://archive.org/details/singersrepertoir0000coff). Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 978-0-8108-0188-2.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Dramatic soprano](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dramatic_soprano) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dramatic_soprano?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.