A lyric soprano is a type of operaticsoprano voice that has a warm quality with a bright, full timbre that can be heard over an orchestra. The lyric soprano voice generally has a higher tessitura than a soubrette and usually plays ingenues and other sympathetic characters in opera. Lyric sopranos have a range from approximately middle C (C4) to "high D" (D6).[1] There is a tendency to divide lyric sopranos into two groups: light and full.[2]
Light lyric soprano
A light-lyric soprano has a bigger voice than a soubrette but still possesses a youthful quality.[3] There are a wide variety of roles written for this voice, and they may sing soubrette, baroque and other light roles as well.[4]
A full-lyric soprano has a more mature sound than a light-lyric soprano and can be heard over a bigger orchestra.[3] This more mature sound may make a full-lyric less suitable for some of the lighter roles. Occasionally a full lyric will have a big enough voice that she can take on much heavier roles, using volume in place of vocal weight. This is done when a more lyric timbre is desired in an otherwise heavier role. Otherwise full lyric sopranos need be judicious with spinto and other heavy roles to prevent vocal deterioration.[1]
