#I’m a classically trained light lyric coloratura soprano and I’ve learned to sing many opera pieces before

[gch1995]

I used to find her voice annoying when I was little, but after enjoying nearly 15 years of being professionally trained to sing mostly classical-style music theater and opera as a light lyric coloratura soprano, my singing voice definitely is most similar to Adriana Caselotti’s (Snow White) and Mary Costa’s (Aurora’s). I’ve also grown to hear the beauty in Snow White’s as I’ve gotten older, and I also realize Adriana Caselotti deliberately played up that babyish quality to her voice as Snow White to make it sound more childlike and innocent for the sake of the role. She definitely is still up there as the animated Disney Princess with the most legit classical-soprano vocal range and technique. I think she goes up to a D6 vocal trill in the dwarves Silly Song. Her highest full note is the B5 in Whistle While You Work, though.

Mary Costa (Aurora) has a bit more of a mature full lyric soprano voice than Adriana Caselotti as Snow White, nor does she use as much coloratura vocal technique in her runs and trills. However, she still has a bright and warm tone and technique that is most definitely legit classical lyric soprano. I think she goes up to an A5, and goes down to a D4.

Cinderella (Ilene Woods) is closer to a true contralto with a range of A3-Bb4. She has a darker, dreamier, and warmer quality to her voice that fits her longing nature

Jodie Benson(Ariel) technically has a light lyric soprano timbre, but she only goes between a C4-D5 as Ariel. That’s totally a doable sweet spot for a mezzo. Plus, she doesn’t really use any legit classical soprano technique. Ariel’s a light soprano belter.

In the second movie, she shows off more of her classical soprano chops in “Down To The Sea” and “For a Moment.” She goes up to at least an F5.

Paige O’Hara (Belle) goes between a low G3-to an Eb5 in the animated Disney movie, and she definitely has the solid middle timbre of a mezzo-soprano belter. It’s clear, full, and warm in the middle. Whereas Ariel can technically be sung by a mezzo-soprano quite easily, the actress who voiced her definitely has the bright, silvery, and youthful timbre of a lyric soprano. She only goes up to a D5 in the 1989 animated film, but you can tell that Jodie’s voice starts to naturally soar once she gets past the middle. Paige is definitely a natural mezzo-soprano, though.

Jasmine (Lea Salonga) is definitely a mezzo-soprano. You can tell this because she had to sing “Think of Me” from Phantom of the Opera in a lower key. However, she definitely is a lighter mezzo soprano with a slightly higher timbre.

Pocahontas (Judy Kuhn) is very much a mezzo-soprano with a range of G3-Bb4 in Colors of the Wind.

Megara (Susan Egan) from Hercules sings between a G3-C5, which is very much a mezzo soprano’s sweet spot. I also love how she added this cynical and sarcastic edge to Meg’s voice that goes away the more she falls in love with Hercules.

Mulan (Lea Salonga) is also a lighter mezzo, much like Jasmine, which makes sense since they share the same singing voice. I really do love how Lea got to show off her voice more in Mulan than she did in Aladdin because it is lovely. It makes me want to cry with her when she sings the chorus so sadly. I think she also goes up to an E5 in this song.

Rapunzel (Mandy Moore) is a soprano with a vocal range of G3-G5, and a more bright and youthful timbre. However, like most modern day Disney sopranos post the Golden age, she is a soprano-belter, so she is doable for a mezzo with a more developed upper register.

The Ranges of Disney Princesses.  AKA, the case for the mezzo princess.

We all hear that the Disney princesses are all sopranos, and that this sucks.  “When will we get an alto princess?!” is a phrase I constantly hear.  Well, I wanted to set down the facts for all to see.  Let’s look at the ranges.  Note that all are based on the movie songs, not the musical versions when applicable.  Let me know if I missed something, or want me to check a song again.  I cross-checked sheet music to videos, but I could have missed something.

Snow White: D4-Bb5

Anna: Gb3-G5

Rapunzel: G3-G5

Aurora: D4-F5

Pocahontas: G#3-F5

Jasmine: C#4-E5

Elsa: F3-Eb5

Mulan: G#3-D5

Tiana: G#3-C#5

Ariel: C4-C5

Belle: G#3-B4

Cinderella: A3-Bb4

So we see some sopranos here–Snow White and her little operatic runs are, undoubtedly, soprano territory.  But from there, we pretty quickly drop off from true soprano territory and fall smack-dab in the middle of mezzo-land.  Anna and Rapunzel, sure, may be tough for some mezzos who don’t have a developed upper range.  But as you move down that list, we’re suddenly getting down to notes that I know many sopranos cannot sing.  I have lots and lots of students who cannot consistently sing a G#3, so it’s tough to argue that these ranges are unreasonably soprano-esque.  In fact, we get to Ariel who has a downright tiny range.  Crazy, right!  Cinderella, Belle, and Ariel would really be considered more of altos if we just look at their ranges!  

But many people hear these songs and immediately think, but they’re so high!  And this is where timbre comes into play.  Some of these women have very light timbres, and it makes their voices sound higher than they actually are.  It’s shocking to really take a look at how low some of these songs actually are, right?  

I actually feel like amongst all these characters, there’s a pretty great representation across many ranges and types.  We’ve got belters, legit singers, more operatic, more mixed, more pop…  Ranging all the way from an F3-Bb5 altogether!  Represent, female voices.