Drama Glossary
Key theatre terms and definitions including related shows.
A vocal or instrumental tone that starts with a distinct attack and then fades, resembling the sound of a bell.
A comedic bass singer in opera, often playing a humorous or bumbling character.
A cadence is a musical resting point that feels like punctuation in music, similar to a period or comma in writing. In opera, cadences signal when a phrase is finished or when a character’s thought has come to a pause. For example, in L’elisir d’amore, cadences are used to emphasize emotional moments in Nemorino’s singing or to neatly wrap up faster, comic passages
Likely a misspelling of 'Cadenza': a solo passage in a vocal or instrumental performance, typically improvised and virtuosic.
A vocal composition with instrumental accompaniment, typically in multiple movements, used in sacred or secular dramatic contexts.
Male singers castrated before puberty to preserve a high-pitched voice, common in Baroque opera.
A chamber opera is a small-scale opera typically written for a modest cast and reduced instrumental ensemble, designed for performance in intimate venues rather than large opera houses. These works often emphasize clarity of text, intimacy of storytelling, and flexibility of staging. Because of their size, chamber operas are especially popular with universities, regional companies, and groups exploring contemporary or experimental repertoire.
A combination of musical notes played simultaneously, forming harmony.
A musical style that uses notes outside the key to create tension and color.
A concluding musical section that brings a composition or scene to a close.
An Italian term instructing the accompanist to follow the soloist’s tempo closely, common in expressive musical theatre.
A style of operatic soprano singing marked by elaborate ornamentation and agile vocal technique.