bel canto
Florid vocal tradition
Bel canto is a style of operatic singing that emphasizes beauty of tone, smooth phrasing, and virtuosic agility over dramatic intensity.
The Italian term means "beautiful singing." The technique dominated Italian opera in the 18th and early 19th centuries, particularly in works by Rossini, Bellini, and Donizetti: a soprano renowned for her bel canto technique.
Operatic solo piece
- recitativeSpeechlike operatic singing
- duetPiece for two
- ensembleUnified group or outfit
- librettoOpera's written words
Rossini · Bellini · Norma · Lucia · nineteenth-century · Italian opera
Highest female voice range
- tenorEssential meaning or import
- mezzo-sopranoMedium female singing voice
- baritoneMid-range male voice
- bassDeep pitch or fish
castrato · prima donna · diva · virtuoso · Sutherland · Pavarotti · lyric · dramatic
Unbroken musical phrasing
- coloraturaElaborate vocal ornamentation
- portamentoSeamless pitch transition
- trillRapid pitch oscillation
- passaggioVocal register transition zone
cadenza · ornamentation · phrasing · breath control · agility · floridity · embellishment · seamlessness
Refined, graceful quality
- beautyAesthetic excellence
- refinementElegance of manner
- graceEffortless beauty of motion
- lyricismExpressive, melodic quality
expressiveness · sweetness · purity · fluidity · nobility · tasteful · cultivated · polished
aria
Operatic solo piece
- recitativeSpeechlike operatic singing
- duetPiece for two
- ensembleUnified group or outfit
libretto · Rossini · Bellini · Norma · Lucia · nineteenth-century · Italian opera
soprano
Highest female voice range
- tenorEssential meaning or import
- mezzo-sopranoMedium female singing voice
- baritoneMid-range male voice
bass · castrato · prima donna · diva · virtuoso · Sutherland · Pavarotti · lyric · dramatic · range
legato
Unbroken musical phrasing
- coloraturaElaborate vocal ornamentation
- portamentoSeamless pitch transition
- trillRapid pitch oscillation
passaggio · cadenza · ornamentation · phrasing · breath control · agility · floridity · embellishment · seamlessness · smoothness
elegance
Refined, graceful quality
- beautyAesthetic excellence
- refinementElegance of manner
- graceEffortless beauty of motion
lyricism · expressiveness · sweetness · purity · fluidity · nobility · tasteful · cultivated · polished · seamless
conservatory
Glass-enclosed plant room
- maestroDistinguished musical leader
- solfègeSyllable-based pitch training
- exercisesActivities for fitness
scales · practice · instruction · tradition · method · teacher · student · discipline · mastery · study
- performing artsacting, dance, music, drama, theater
- vocal musicsong, vocals, soprano, tenor, alto
- Italian StudiesItalian language, Italian history, Italian literature, Italian art, Italian culture
- operaopera, aria, arias, soprano, tenor
- Baroque ItalyVenice, Naples, Rome, Florence, Milan
- Italian MusicVerdi, Puccini, Vivaldi, Rossini, Pavarotti
chanting, enchantment, recant, incantation, enchanter, chanted, enchantress, cantata, canto