Editing Soubrette

{{Short description|Mischievous and coquettish female character in theatre and opera}}
[[File:Alexander Mann - Soubrette.jpg|thumb|''Soubrette'' by [[Alexander Mann]]]]
A '''soubrette''' is a female minor [[stock character]] in [[opera]] and [[theatre]], often a pert lady's maid. By extension, the term can refer generally to any saucy or flirtatious young woman. The term arrived in English from [[Provençal dialect|Provençal]] via French, and means "conceited" or "coy".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thefreedictionary.com/soubrette|title=soubrette|via=The Free Dictionary}}</ref>

==Theatre==
[[File:Alice Kingsbury the Elfin Star - Photographed by J.W. Winder & Co., National Art Palace, 142 Fourth Street, bet. Race and Elm, Cincinnati. LCCN2013648311.jpg|thumb|left|The soubrette [[Alice Kingsbury Cooley|Alice Kingsbury]], by J.W. Winder & Co.]]
In theatre, a soubrette is a comedy character who is vain and girlish, mischievous, lighthearted, coquettish and gossipy—often a chambermaid or confidante of the [[ingénue]]. She often displays a flirtatious or even sexually aggressive nature. The soubrette appeared in [[commedia dell'arte]] scenarios, often in the role of [[Columbina]], where the actress would provide the details of her behaviour and dialogue.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.delpiano.com/carnival/html/servetta.html|title=Servetta - Soubrette - Colombina - Corallina - Franceschina - Mirandolina - Commedia dell'Arte|website=www.delpiano.com}}</ref> From there, she moved to the works of [[Molière]], which were influenced by the Commedia; the role of Dorine in ''[[Tartuffe]]'' (1664) fits the description. A famous example, though a hundred years later, is Suzanne in [[Beaumarchais]]' ''[[Le Mariage de Figaro]]'' (1784).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.britannica.com/art/soubrette|title=Soubrette - theatrical character|website=Encyclopedia Britannica}}</ref>

==Opera==
In [[European classical music|classical music]] and [[opera]], the term ''soubrette'' refers to both a [[soprano]] [[voice type]] or ''[[fach]]'', and a type of opera role. A soubrette voice is light with a bright, sweet [[timbre]], a [[tessitura]] in the mid-range, but lacking extensive [[coloratura]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20010804144455/http://www.geocities.com/concertopera/voicetype.html voicetype<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> A soubrette's [[vocal range]] extends approximately from middle C ([[scientific pitch notation|C<sub>4</sub>]]) to "high D" (D<sub>6</sub>).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dolmetsch.com/defsv2.htm|title=Dolmetsch Online - Music Dictionary Vm - Vz|website=www.dolmetsch.com}}</ref> The voice has a lighter [[vocal weight]] than other soprano voices with a brighter timbre. Many young singers start out as soubrettes but as they grow older and the voice matures more physically they may be reclassified as another voice type, usually either a [[light lyric soprano]], a [[lyric coloratura soprano]], or a [[coloratura mezzo-soprano]]. Rarely does a singer remain a soubrette throughout her entire career.{{sfn|Stark|2003}} The [[tessitura]] of the soubrette tends to lie a bit lower than the lyric soprano and [[spinto soprano]].{{sfn|Boldrey|Caldwell|Singer|Wall|1992}}

Soubrette roles are typically found in comic operas or operettas and they usually portray good-looking, youthful girls who are flirtatious, saucy, and street-wise. Typically these roles are sung by younger singers and both [[soprano]]s and [[mezzo-soprano]]s are cast in them.{{sfn|Boldrey|Caldwell|Singer|Wall|1992}} Many soubrette roles have a considerable amount of spoken German dialogue, and therefore the soubrette singer must possess both an excellent comprehension of the German language and considerable acting skills. It is rare to find true soubrettes singing in major opera houses as their voices are typically unable to carry over larger orchestras in larger halls.{{cn|date=July 2022}} Often lyric, coloratura, and mezzo-sopranos are cast in soubrette roles, especially in the early part of their singing careers. This does not mean that these singers are soubrette sopranos but it does mean they can play soubrette roles.{{sfn|Boldrey|Caldwell|Singer|Wall|1992}} The [[coloratura soprano]] has a higher range, can sing more dexterous vocal passages and has a somewhat brighter sound than the soubrette. The [[lyric soprano]] has a richer voice and higher range than the soubrette soprano. The mezzo-soprano can sing as high as a soubrette but with a darker timbre and heavier weight in the voice. Mezzos also have a much more extensive range in the lower register.<ref>[http://www.ipasource.com/soprano#KOLORATURSOPRAN/KOLORATUR_SOUBRETTE_(c_to_f) IPA Source – Soprano<!-- Bot generated title -->].</ref> In addition, the beautiful light voice of the soubrette is ideal for [[baroque music]], [[early music]] and [[baroque opera]], as well as many [[art songs]]. However, the soubrette soprano voice is limited even in this repertoire by its lack of coloratura skill and relatively limited range.{{sfn|Boldrey|Caldwell|Singer|Wall|1992}} Many operettas and musicals include soubrette characters, such as Valencienne in ''[[The Merry Widow]]'',<ref>[http://www.vlog.org/merrywidow2006/widow_auditions.htm The Merry Widow – VLOG Spring 2006<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080820025214/http://www.vlog.org/merrywidow2006/widow_auditions.htm |date=2008-08-20 }}.</ref> and in [[Gilbert and Sullivan]] the [[Jessie Bond]] mezzo-soprano roles such as Pitti-Sing (''[[The Mikado]]'').<ref>Stone, David. [https://www.gsarchive.net/whowaswho/B/BondJessie.htm Jessie Bond], Who Was Who in the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company</ref> Another example is the character Ellie Mae Chipley, who sings "Life Upon the Wicked Stage" in Kern and Hammerstein's ''[[Show Boat]]''.<ref>[http://www.nodanw.com/shows_s/show_boat.htm ''Showboat'' – Kern/Hammerstein<!-- Bot generated title -->].</ref>

==Roles in opera and operettas==
Source:{{sfn|Boldrey|1994}}
{{colbegin|colwidth=25em}}
* Adele, ''[[Die Fledermaus]]'' ([[Johann Strauss II|J. Strauss II]])
* Alison, ''[[The Wandering Scholar]]'' ([[Gustav Holst|Holst]])
* Amor, ''[[Orfeo ed Euridice]]'' ([[Gluck]])
* Ännchen, ''[[Der Freischütz]]'' ([[Carl Maria von Weber|von Weber]])
* Ann Page, ''[[The Merry Wives of Windsor (opera)|The Merry Wives of Windsor]]'' ([[Otto Nicolai|Nicolai]])
* Auretta, ''[[L'oca del Cairo]]'' ([[Mozart]])
* Barbarina, ''[[The Marriage of Figaro]]'' ([[Mozart]])
* Bärbele, ''[[Schwarzwaldmädel]]'' ([[Leon Jessel|Jessel]])
* Bastienne, ''[[Bastien und Bastienne]]'' ([[Mozart]])
* Belinda, ''[[Dido and Aeneas]]'' ([[Henry Purcell|Purcell]])
* Berta, ''[[Il barbiere di Siviglia]]'' ([[Gioachino Rossini]])
* Cis, ''[[Albert Herring]]'' ([[Britten]])
* Clotilde, ''[[Norma (opera)|Norma]]'' ([[Vincenzo Bellini|Bellini]])
* Despina, ''[[Così fan tutte]]'' ([[Mozart]])
* Echo, ''[[Ariadne auf Naxos]]'' ([[Richard Strauss|R. Strauss]])
* Elisa, ''[[Il re pastore]]'' ([[Mozart]])
* Emmie, ''[[Albert Herring]]'' ([[Britten]])
* Giannetta, ''[[L'elisir d'amore]]'' ([[Donizetti]])
* Hannele, ''[[Schwarzwaldmädel]]'' ([[Leon Jessel|Jessel]])
* Hirte (Shepherd), ''[[Tannhäuser]]'' ([[Wagner]])
* Lisa, ''[[Gräfin Mariza]]'' ([[Emmerich Kálmán|Kálmán]])
* Lisa, ''[[The Grand Duke]]'' ([[Gilbert and Sullivan]])
* Lisette, ''[[La rondine]]'' ([[Puccini]])
* Marie, ''[[Der Waffenschmied]]'' ([[Albert Lortzing|Lortzing]])
* Marie, ''[[Zar und Zimmermann]]'' ([[Albert Lortzing|Lortzing]])
* Marzellina, ''[[Fidelio]]'' ([[Beethoven]])
* Musetta, ''[[La bohème]]'' ([[Puccini]])
* Nannetta, ''[[Falstaff (opera)|Falstaff]]'' ([[Verdi]])
* Norina, ''[[Don Pasquale]]'' ([[Donizetti]])
* Ninetta, ''[[La finta semplice]]'' ([[Mozart]])
* Olga, ''[[Fedora (opera)|Fedora]]'' ([[Umberto Giordano|Giordano]])
* Papagena, ''[[The Magic Flute]]'' ([[Mozart]])
* Phoebe, ''[[The Yeomen of the Guard]]'' ([[Gilbert and Sullivan]])
* Pitti-Sing, ''[[The Mikado]]'' ([[Gilbert and Sullivan]])
* Servilia, ''[[La clemenza di Tito]]'' ([[Mozart]])
* Serpetta, ''[[La finta giardiniera]]'' ([[Mozart]])
* Serpina, ''[[La serva padrona]]'' ([[Giovanni Battista Pergolesi|Pergolesi]])
* Sophie, ''[[Der Rosenkavalier]]'' ([[Richard Strauss|R. Strauss]])
* Stasi, ''[[Die Csárdásfürstin]]'' ([[Emmerich Kálmán|Kálmán]])
* Susanna, ''[[The Marriage of Figaro]]'' ([[Mozart]])
* Yniold, ''[[Pelléas et Mélisande (opera)|Pelléas et Mélisande]]'' ([[Debussy]])
* Zerlina, ''[[Don Giovanni]]'' ([[Mozart]])
{{colend}}

==References==
'''Notes'''
{{reflist}}

'''Sources'''
*{{cite book
|title= Singer's Edition (Soubrette): Operatic Arias – Soubrette
|last1= Boldrey
|first1= Richard
|last2=Caldwell
|first2=Robert
|last3=Singer
|first3=Werner
|last4=Wall
|first4=Joan
|last5=Pines
|first5=Roger
|year= 1992
|publisher= Caldwell Publishing Company
|isbn=978-1-877761-03-4}}
*{{cite book
|title= Guide to Operatic Roles and Arias
|last= Boldrey
|first= Richard
|year= 1994
|publisher= Caldwell Publishing Company
|isbn=978-1-877761-64-5}}
*{{cite book
|title= Bel Canto: A History of Vocal Pedagogy
|last= Stark
|first= James
|year= 2003
|publisher= University of Toronto Press
|isbn= 978-0-8020-8614-3}}

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[[Category:Soubrettes]]
[[Category:Voice types]]
[[Category:Opera terminology]]
[[Category:Operatic sopranos| ]]
[[Category:Stock characters]]