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'Soubrette' is a term referring to a type of female role —specifically, a stock character —in opera and theatre. The term arrived in English from Provençal via French, and means "conceited" or "coy".
In classical music and opera, it describes an operatic voice type - a light soprano voice with a bright, sweet timbre and a tessitura in the mid-range. In opera, this voice often plays comedic, saucy, but likable characters, and some soubrettes can also sing lyric coloratura roles such as Gilda or Norina. In addition, baroque music, early music and baroque opera, as well as many art songs, all call for this kind of beautiful, light voice. Soubrette roles in turn may be performed by light lyric and lyric coloratura voices, and sometimes by mezzo-sopranos as well.
In theatre, the term describes a comedy character who is vain and girlish, mischievous, lighthearted, coquettish and gossipy - often a chambermaid or confidante of the ingenue, she often displays a flirtatious or even sexually aggressive nature. Such characters appeared in commedia dell'arte scenarios, often in the role of Columbina, where the actress would provide the details of her behavior and dialogue. From there, she moved to the works of Molière, which were influenced by commedia; the role of Dorine in ''Tartuffe'' (1664) fits the description. A famous example, though a hundred years later, is the role of Suzanne in Beaumarchais' ''Le Mariage de Figaro'' (1784).
Most operettas include such a character, for example Valencienne in ''The Merry Widow''. In Gilbert and Sullivan, the Jessie Bond mezzo-soprano roles are considered soubrettes. Another example is the character Ellie Mae Chipley, who sings "Life Upon the Wicked Stage" in Kern and Hammerstein's ''Show Boat''.
★ Adele, ''Die Fledermaus''
★ Blondchen, ''Die Entführung aus dem Serail'' (Mozart)
★ Despina, ''Così fan tutte'' (Mozart) -- Sometimes performed by lyric mezzo-sopranos.
★ Nannetta, ''Falstaff'' (Verdi)
★ Zerlina, ''Don Giovanni'' (Mozart) -- Sometimes performed by lyric mezzo-sopranos.
★ Ännchen, "Der Freischütz" (Carl Maria von Weber)
★ Elisabeth Schumann
★ Kathleen Battle
★ Barbara Bonney
★ Dawn Upshaw
★ Opera
★ List of important operas
★ Voice type
★ Soprano
★ French maid
★ Collection of public domain scores (Indiana U)
★ International Music Score Library Project
★ Smaller collection of public domain scores (Harvard)
★ Collection of librettos and translations
★ Collection of librettos (Karadar)
★ Collection of librettos (Stanford)
★ Verdi librettos
★ German/English Wagner librettos
★ Aria database
★ Freedictionary definition
★ Origins of the term
★ Encyclopedia Britannica
★ Description of a soubrette in opera
★ Another explanation of the opera character
In classical music and opera, it describes an operatic voice type - a light soprano voice with a bright, sweet timbre and a tessitura in the mid-range. In opera, this voice often plays comedic, saucy, but likable characters, and some soubrettes can also sing lyric coloratura roles such as Gilda or Norina. In addition, baroque music, early music and baroque opera, as well as many art songs, all call for this kind of beautiful, light voice. Soubrette roles in turn may be performed by light lyric and lyric coloratura voices, and sometimes by mezzo-sopranos as well.
In theatre, the term describes a comedy character who is vain and girlish, mischievous, lighthearted, coquettish and gossipy - often a chambermaid or confidante of the ingenue, she often displays a flirtatious or even sexually aggressive nature. Such characters appeared in commedia dell'arte scenarios, often in the role of Columbina, where the actress would provide the details of her behavior and dialogue. From there, she moved to the works of Molière, which were influenced by commedia; the role of Dorine in ''Tartuffe'' (1664) fits the description. A famous example, though a hundred years later, is the role of Suzanne in Beaumarchais' ''Le Mariage de Figaro'' (1784).
Most operettas include such a character, for example Valencienne in ''The Merry Widow''. In Gilbert and Sullivan, the Jessie Bond mezzo-soprano roles are considered soubrettes. Another example is the character Ellie Mae Chipley, who sings "Life Upon the Wicked Stage" in Kern and Hammerstein's ''Show Boat''.
| Contents |
| Soubrette roles in operas and operettas |
| Notable operatic soubrettes |
| See also |
| External links |
| References |
Soubrette roles in operas and operettas
★ Adele, ''Die Fledermaus''
★ Blondchen, ''Die Entführung aus dem Serail'' (Mozart)
★ Despina, ''Così fan tutte'' (Mozart) -- Sometimes performed by lyric mezzo-sopranos.
★ Nannetta, ''Falstaff'' (Verdi)
★ Zerlina, ''Don Giovanni'' (Mozart) -- Sometimes performed by lyric mezzo-sopranos.
★ Ännchen, "Der Freischütz" (Carl Maria von Weber)
Notable operatic soubrettes
★ Elisabeth Schumann
★ Kathleen Battle
★ Barbara Bonney
★ Dawn Upshaw
See also
★ Opera
★ List of important operas
★ Voice type
★ Soprano
★ French maid
External links
★ Collection of public domain scores (Indiana U)
★ International Music Score Library Project
★ Smaller collection of public domain scores (Harvard)
★ Collection of librettos and translations
★ Collection of librettos (Karadar)
★ Collection of librettos (Stanford)
★ Verdi librettos
★ German/English Wagner librettos
★ Aria database
References
★ Freedictionary definition
★ Origins of the term
★ Encyclopedia Britannica
★ Description of a soubrette in opera
★ Another explanation of the opera character
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