“Oh, Cordelia [names changed to protect the not-so-innocent], you’re so dramatic!” This, accompanied by a sigh and rolling of the eyes, is a typical response from one or another of my friends regarding my humorizing antics. But it is my not-so-secret opinion that most “normal” people lead incredibly boring lives, so why am I blamed for trying to spice things up a little? You see, I am a Soprano. And we all know that no Soprano can lead a boring life. I mean, for goodness sake, we are the dramatic impetus for almost the whole of opera! We live solely for love, make foolish choices for the man we’re currently in love with (who, of course, we’ve known for maybe 24 hours max), try to make the world a better place, and when none of our plans work out, find some way to die, preferably by suicide.
Now led me educate you, dear reader, a bit about Soprani (I’m sorry, I’m in school and in the learning mode). Soprano is the most common voice type in women, and there are 3 main categories of us: Dramatic, Lyric, and Coloratura. Dramatics are just what they sound like: dramatic. They come in all shapes and sizes, but have a uniting factor in the huge size and weight of their voices (think Wagner, Verdi, and heavy Puccini). Lyric Soprano is a pretty run-of-the-mill designation, being the typical woman’s voice. Composers are generally more kind to these ladies than their Dramatic and Coloratura counterparts, and the foremost factor that gets a Lyric a job is her ability to carry a beautiful legato line. Coloraturas, on the other hand, are the lucky ones of us. They are the ones who get to perform the true fireworks, executing runs, trills, and all other sorts of things that make the rest of us drop our jaws in pure awe. And they get the high notes (I’m not jealous, no, not at all).
In short, I am a Lyric Soprano who wants to be a Coloratura, but tends more toward the Dramatic. My friends simply call me a Dramatic Lyric.
Dramatic Lyric 