coloratura

plural coloraturas · alternative colorature

1. uncountableFlorid or fancy passages in vocal music.

   The singing is generally excellent, with Simon Keenlyside standing out for his richly vocalized (and amusingly dour) Papageno and Diana Damrau for her spot-on coloratura and genuine venom as the Queen of the Night.

   2004, The Video Librarian, volume 19, page 71

2. countableA singer of such passages, especially a soprano.

   The middle one, of course, was the coloratura Julia Kristeva, known as the most voluptuous Salome in the business.

   1980, Anthony Burgess, Earthly Powers

comparative more coloratura · superlative most coloratura · alternative colorature

1. Pertaining to coloratura.

   She has a lighter and more coloratura voice.

   1 more example

   I drew a deep breath, this time fortunately unmixed with gin and tonic. I was profoundly stirred. “You mean,” I said, my voice quavering like that of a coloratura soprano, “that I went through that soul-shattering experience all for nothing?”

   1960, P[elham] G[renville] Wodehouse, chapter XII, in Jeeves in the Offing, London: Herbert Jenkins, →OCLC