In the tradition of 17th-Century European opera, coloratura is a florid vocal ornamentation of a melody using trills, mordents, and leaps. (The word means “coloring” in Italian and comes from the Latin infinitive colorare.) It’s similar to gamakas in South Indian Carnatic music, and to melismatic singing in pop tunes (think Whitney Houston’s vocal decorations in the song “I Will Always Love You”). Among musicians, the word coloratura often conjures an opera singer using agile runs to hit high notes.