Coloratura

Coloratura (UK: /ˌkɒlərəˈtjʊərə/ KOL-ər-ə-TURE-ə, US: /ˌkʌl-/ KUL-, Italian: [koloraˈtuːra]; lit. 'material that has been colored', from colorata, the past participle of the verb colorare, 'to color') is a passage of music holding elaboration to a melody. The elaboration usually takes the form of runs, trills, wide leaps or other virtuoso material, and the melody is obscured during the passage. The term is mostly applied to vocal music; in instrumental music such passages are called ornamentation.

Coloratura is often found in operatic music of the 18th and 19th centuries. Operatic roles in which coloratura plays a large part, and their singers, are also called coloratura.