Soubrette

Soubrette is a term used with various, related meanings in theater, opera, and popular music.

Soubrettes in opera

Opera, being a theatrical art form, has a number of typical soubrette roles. In opera, however, "soubrette" can refer not only to a comic role of the sort described above, but also to a particular type of singing voice.

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The soubrette voice type in opera might reasonably be described as a sort of lyric soprano distinguished by a notably light, youthful, even girlish timbre. It shares the lightness of timbre with the coloratura soprano - indeed, it is commonly viewed as being even lighter than the coloratura - but as a lyric soprano the soubrette is not expected to sing as elaborately as the coloratura, nor is she called upon to reach the heights of the soprano range as frequently. Soubrette vocal range, however, is the same as for any lyric soprano.

Related Topics:
Soprano - Timbre - Vocal range

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A typical soubrette role in opera is that of Zerlina in Don Giovanni.

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