| No. | Item | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | accent | extra stress on a note |
| 2. | act | major division of an opera |
| 3. | applause | clapping approval from audience |
| 4. | appoggio | breath support technique |
| 5. | aria | a solo vocal piece |
| 6. | attack | way a note begins |
| 7. | audition | performance tryout |
| 8. | backstage | area behind the stage |
| 9. | baritone | middle male singing voice |
| 10. | barline | line dividing measures |
| 11. | bass | lowest male singing voice |
| 12. | beat | basic pulse of music |
| 13. | bel canto | lyrical beautiful singing style |
| 14. | blocking | planned stage movement |
| 15. | cadenza | virtuosic solo passage |
| 16. | chest voice | lower resonant singing register |
| 17. | chorus | group singing together |
| 18. | clef | symbol naming note pitches |
| 19. | coloratura | ornate agile vocal singing |
| 20. | consonant | speech sound with obstruction |
| 21. | contralto | lowest female singing voice |
| 22. | crescendo | gradually getting louder |
| 23. | debut | first public performance |
| 24. | diaphragm | main breathing muscle |
| 25. | diatonic | within a key scale |
| 26. | diction | clarity of pronunciation |
| 27. | diminuendo | gradually getting softer |
| 28. | diphthong | gliding two-part vowel sound |
| 29. | duet | piece for two singers |
| 30. | dynamics | degrees of loudness |
| 31. | encore | extra piece after applause |
| 32. | ensemble | piece for several performers |
| 33. | entrance | moment of coming onstage |
| 34. | exit | moment of leaving stage |
| 35. | falsetto | light high male register |
| 36. | fermata | held note or rest |
| 37. | finale | ending section of an act |
| 38. | forte | loud |
| 39. | fortissimo | very loud |
| 40. | head voice | upper resonant singing register |
| 41. | interval | distance between two pitches |
| 42. | intonation | accuracy of pitch |
| 43. | jaw | lower mouth bone |
| 44. | key | tonal center of music |
| 45. | larynx | voice box |
| 46. | legato | smoothly connected notes |
| 47. | leitmotif | recurring theme linked to idea |
| 48. | libretto | the text of an opera |
| 49. | major | bright-sounding key or scale |
| 50. | measure | group of beats |
| 51. | meter | regular beat grouping |
| 52. | mezzo-forte | moderately loud |
| 53. | mezzo-piano | moderately soft |
| 54. | mezzo-soprano | middle female singing voice |
| 55. | minor | darker-sounding key or scale |
| 56. | motif | short recurring musical idea |
| 57. | octave | interval of eight notes |
| 58. | onset | beginning of a sung tone |
| 59. | orchestra | large instrumental ensemble |
| 60. | overture | instrumental introduction to opera |
| 61. | palate | roof of the mouth |
| 62. | passaggio | transition between vocal registers |
| 63. | phonation | production of vocal sound |
| 64. | phrasing | shaping musical lines expressively |
| 65. | pianissimo | very soft |
| 66. | piano | soft |
| 67. | portamento | gliding between pitches |
| 68. | projection | carrying power of the voice |
| 69. | recitative | speechlike singing advancing plot |
| 70. | register | range area of the voice |
| 71. | rehearsal | practice before performance |
| 72. | repertoire | works a performer knows |
| 73. | resonance | rich ringing sound quality |
| 74. | rhythm | pattern of durations |
| 75. | role | character part to sing |
| 76. | rubato | flexible expressive timing |
| 77. | sforzando | sudden strong emphasis |
| 78. | slur | curved line joining notes |
| 79. | soft palate | movable back roof tissue |
| 80. | soprano | highest female singing voice |
| 81. | staccato | short detached notes |
| 82. | staff | five lines for notation |
| 83. | support | controlled breath for singing |
| 84. | syncopation | stress on weak beats |
| 85. | tempo | speed of the music |
| 86. | tenor | highest common male voice |
| 87. | tessitura | most comfortable vocal range |
| 88. | tie | line joining same pitches |
| 89. | timbre | distinctive tone color |
| 90. | tongue | muscular organ in mouth |
| 91. | treble clef | high-range notation clef |
| 92. | trio | piece for three singers |
| 93. | understudy | backup performer for a role |
| 94. | unison | same pitch together |
| 95. | verismo | realistic operatic style |
| 96. | vibrato | slight pitch fluctuation in tone |
| 97. | vocalise | singing on vowels only |
| 98. | vowel | open speech sound |
| 99. | whole tone | interval of two semitones |
| 100. | wings | side areas offstage |
