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In vocal pedagogy, passaggio refers to the transition area between vocal registers. Skilled singers work to smooth out these transitions to avoid any noticeable breaks in the voice.

Rubato, or 'robbed' time, is a technique where the tempo of a piece is freely manipulated for expressive effect, speeding up and slowing down without altering the overall pace.

In 19th-century Italian opera, a 'messaggero' (or messenger) role involves a character whose purpose is to deliver important news within the plot, often through a recitative or short aria.

A castrato is a male singer who was castrated before puberty to preserve the soprano or alto voice range. The practice was most popular in the Italian opera of the 17th and 18th centuries.

Intonation refers to the accuracy of pitch in singing or playing musical instruments. Good intonation ensures harmony and a pleasing sound, whereas poor intonation can result in dissonance.

Coloratura refers to elaborate ornamentation of a vocal line, often featuring rapid scales, trills, and leaps. It is highly characteristic of Baroque and Classical opera.

A Da Capo Aria is a musical form popular in the Baroque period, typically structured A-B-A, where the singer is expected to embellish the returning A section, often improvisationally.

An appoggiatura is a type of musical ornament where a non-chord note is played before a principal note, often by a half-step, creating a dissonant tension that resolves into the following chord.

A countertenor is a male singer who uses falsetto to sing alto or mezzo-soprano ranges, often in Baroque and early music settings, though also in contemporary music.

Maestro di cappella is an Italian term used historically to describe the music director or conductor in charge of music at a church, chapel, or court.

An aria is a self-contained piece for one voice, usually with orchestral accompaniment, found in operas, oratorios, and cantatas. It provides characters a moment to express their feelings.

A cadenza is a virtuosic solo passage inserted into a movement of a concerto or aria, typically near the end, allowing the soloist to display their technical proficiency and interpretative style.

Legato is a smooth and connected style of singing or playing an instrument where notes transition smoothly without any apparent detachment.

Recitative is a style of delivery in which a singer declaims rather than sings, often used in operas, oratorios, and cantatas to advance the plot or develop characters.

An oratorio is a large-scale musical work for orchestra and voices, typically a choir and soloists, and includes arias, recitatives, and choruses without acting or stage design.

Sprechstimme is a vocal technique that combines singing and speaking. It was developed in the early 20th century, notably by composer Arnold Schoenberg in works like 'Pierrot Lunaire'.

Vibrato is a slight fluctuation in pitch used by singers and instrumentalists for expressive purposes. It is achieved by oscillating the pitch around a central note. Its use and extent vary widely by era and genre.

Bel Canto, literally 'beautiful singing' in Italian, refers to a style of singing that emphasizes beautiful tone, legato phrasing, and agile vocal technique. It was particularly prominent in the 18th and early 19th centuries.

Falsetto is a vocal technique which enables the singer to reach pitches above their normal range by using only the ligamentous edges of the vocal cords. It results in a lighter, airier sound.