Soprano passed on schedule (5)
I believe the answer is:
slate
'schedule' is the definition.
(as in a film slated for release)
'soprano passed on' is the wordplay.
'soprano' becomes 's' (musical abbreviation).
'passed on' becomes 'late' (both can mean dead).
's'+'late'='SLATE'
(Other definitions for slate that I've seen before include "A roof-tile; criticise heavily" , "Stone used for roofing" , "Metamorphic rock that can be split into thin layers" , "Grey metamorphic rock" , "Roof tile or pub credit" .)