| Prima Donna: |
| The leading female singer in an opera,usually a soprano. Examples of a prima donna are Joan Sutherland as Lucia in Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor, Leontynie Pice in the title role of Verdi's Aida and Maria Callas in Puccini's Tosca. Unfortunately, prima donnas have acquired the reputation of being temperamental,demanding and generally difficult. The term "prima donna" has been extended to any self-dramatizing person who puts on airs,demands special attention or throws a tantrum. |
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