Exponents
The term soprano sfogato appeared at the same time as its greatest exponents: Isabella Colbran, Giuditta Pasta, Maria Malibran, Giuseppina Ronzi de Begnis, Wilhelmine Schröder-Devrient, Mary Anne Paton (Mrs. Wood), Giuseppina Strepponi, Emma Calvé, Marianne Brandt, Félia Litvinne amongst others. Anther example was Pauline Viardot, who alternated roles of soprano and contralto. In the 20th century, the main exponent of this voice category was Maria Callas, though she did not perform roles of contralto, she did sing a couple of roles for mezzo in the mezzo keys and many of the roles associated with the soprano sfogato (Médée, Armida, Norma, Anna Bolena, Lady Macbeth, Abigaille, etc.) using overall a range of three octaves. Other assolutas/sfogatos of the 20th century were Marisa Galvany, Leyla Gencer, and Júlia Várady. Joyce DiDonato is perhaps the leading exponent in the early part of the 21st century.
Read more about this topic: Soprano Sfogato