Best Soprano Voice — Page 4

TheatreDiva--I will say that many people CALL the upper range soprano, and not head voice, so I will often say "so and so has an amazing soprano". My voice teacher has taught me this way. It makes perfect sense if that is the way you are taught, which I think many also have been taught this way.

I think Kelli O'Hara has such a gorgeous soprano! WHen I first heard it I said "THAT is what I want to have!" (I've been working on my soprano range for about a year and a half now, I only had a belt before). So she is an inspiration!


Jodi Benson as well, she's not on bway anymore but geez. I saw her in Chicago this summer and I hadn't fully realized how outrageously talented she really was until that concert! She has been one of my favorite singers since age 3!

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Rachel York
Marin Mazzie- I am continual amazed by her. When she performed at Tower Records@ Lincoln Center, she blew my mind. Her range is un-un-beliveable.

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As far as classic musical theatre voices go, Dame Julie Andrews will always be first on the list, followed by Shirley Jones.

For contemporary voices, I love Patti Cohenour (her "To An Isle In the Water" CD is divine), Judy Kuhn (classically trained at Oberlin, with an amazing range), Rebecca Luker, Susan Egan has a lovely soprano when she's allowed to use it, Audra, and Liz Callaway has a beautiful soprano (again, when she's allowed to use it. If you listen to her snippets from "West Side Story" on "Sibling Revelry", you'll hear it).

I don't think a lot of musical theatre composers now write for legitimate soprano voices. I love the belt as much as anyone, but sometimes there's something about a true soprano that can bring so much emotion and feeling to a wonderfully written piece of music.

you can totally tell that Judy Kuhn was trained classically.

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It's almost pointless for me to add someone on the list. Everyone on the list has an amazing voice. Cheno, Patti, and Megan are really fantastic.

Yeah firstly Tenorific I don't know why you mentioned Kristin Chenoweth. She's been trained operatically and you can tell. You can hear it even when she sings musical theatre and really there are things a classical soprano does (including Kristin and Kelli) that Judy Kuhn does not do. Muscle how can you tell she sings classically.

also, I heart Sara Brightman!

kelli and kristin were both trained by the same teacher at ocu. their teacher, florence birdwell, has been invited by Adam Guettel to hold master classes at Lincoln Center dec. 16 and 18-20. She will be focusing on, specifically, linking opera with music theatre.should be a pretty amazing experience.

Kelli is my top choice, but also I have never heard someone cross over from Opera to Musical theatre as well as Dawn Upshaw. She is amazing.

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Kristin Chenoweth, Julie Andrews, Marni Nixon, Shirley Jones, Julie Hanson.

I'm in agreement with ddtruitt about Elena Shaddow.... GORGEOUS voice that everyone will get to hear soon, I hope...

I'd also like to add Laura Griffith (Franca/ Clara u/s in Piazza) to this list....... magnificent technique.