Editing Mezzo-soprano

{{Short description|Type of classical female singing voice}}
{{Other uses|Mezzo soprano (disambiguation)}}
{{Voice type}}
A '''mezzo-soprano''' ({{IPA|it|ˌmɛddzosoˈpraːno|lang}}, {{lit|half soprano}}), or '''mezzo''' ({{IPAc-en|lang|ˈ|m|ɛ|t|s|oʊ}} {{respell|MET|soh}}), is a type of [[classical music|classical]] female [[singing]] [[human voice|voice]] whose [[vocal range]] lies between the [[soprano]] and the [[contralto]] [[voice type]]s. The mezzo-soprano's vocal range usually extends from the A below [[middle C]] to the A two [[octave]]s above (i.e. A<sub>3</sub>–A<sub>5</sub> in [[scientific pitch notation]], where middle C = C<sub>4</sub>; 220–880&nbsp;Hz). In the lower and upper extremes, some mezzo-sopranos may extend down to the F below middle C (F<sub>3</sub>, 175&nbsp;Hz) and as high as "high C" (C<sub>6</sub>, 1047&nbsp;Hz).<ref name=Appelman>{{cite book
|title= The Science of Vocal Pedagogy: Theory and Application
|last= Appelman
|first= D. Ralph
|year= 1986
|publisher= Indiana University Press
|isbn= 978-0-253-20378-6}}</ref>
The mezzo-soprano voice type is generally divided into the [[coloratura]], lyric, and dramatic.

== History ==
While mezzo-sopranos typically sing secondary roles in operas, notable exceptions include the title role in [[Georges Bizet|Bizet]]'s ''[[Carmen]]'', Angelina ([[Cinderella]]) in [[Gioachino Rossini|Rossini]]'s ''[[La Cenerentola]]'', and Rosina in Rossini's ''[[The Barber of Seville|Barber of Seville]]'' (all of which are also sung by sopranos and contraltos). Many 19th-century [[French-language operas]] give the leading female role to mezzos, including ''[[Béatrice et Bénédict]]'', ''[[La damnation de Faust]]'', ''[[Don Quichotte]]'', ''[[La favorite]]'', ''[[Dom Sébastien]]'', ''[[Charles VI (opera)|Charles VI]]'', ''[[Mignon]]'', ''[[Samson et Dalila]]'', ''[[Les Troyens]]'', and ''[[Werther]]'', as well as ''Carmen''.

Typical roles for mezzo-sopranos include the stereotypical triad associated with contraltos of "witches, bitches, and britches": witches, nurses, and wise women, such as Azucena in [[Giuseppe Verdi|Verdi]]'s ''[[Il trovatore]]''; villains and seductresses such as Amneris in Verdi's ''[[Aida]]''; and "[[breeches role]]s" or "trouser roles" (male characters played by female singers) such as Cherubino in [[Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart|Mozart's]] ''[[Le nozze di Figaro]]''. Mezzo-sopranos are well represented in [[baroque music]], [[early music]], and [[baroque opera]].<ref name=Appelman /> Some roles designated for lighter [[soubrette]] sopranos are sung by mezzo-sopranos, who often provide a fuller, more dramatic quality. Such roles include Despina in Mozart's ''[[Così fan tutte]]'' and Zerlina in his ''[[Don Giovanni]]''.<ref name=Caldwell>{{cite book
|title= Singer's Edition (Soubrette): Operatic Arias – Soubrette
|last1= Boldrey
|first1= Richard
|author2=Robert Caldwell|author3=Werner Singer|author4=Joan Wall|author5=Roger Pines
|year= 1992
|publisher= Caldwell Publishing
|isbn= 978-1-877761-03-4}}</ref> Mezzos sometimes play [[dramatic soprano]] roles such as Santuzza in [[Pietro Mascagni|Mascagni]]'s ''[[Cavalleria rusticana]]'', Lady Macbeth in Verdi's ''[[Macbeth (Verdi)|Macbeth]]'', and Kundry in Wagner's ''[[Parsifal]]''.<ref name=Boldrey>{{cite book
|title= Guide to Operatic Roles and Arias
|last= Boldrey
|first= Richard
|year= 1994
|publisher= Caldwell Publishing
|isbn= 978-1-877761-64-5}}</ref>

== Vocal range ==
[[File:Mezzo-soprano voice range on keyboard.svg|thumb|400px|Mezzo-soprano vocal range (A<sub>3</sub>–A<sub>5</sub>) notated on the [[treble clef|treble]] [[staff (music)|staff]] and on piano keyboard in green with dot marking middle C (C<sub>4</sub>).]]
{| align=right
|<score>{ \new Staff \with { \remove "Time_signature_engraver" } a4 a''4 }</score>
|}
The [[vocal range]] of the mezzo-sopranos lies between the [[soprano]] and the [[contralto]] [[voice type]]s. Mezzo-sopranos generally have a heavier, darker tone than sopranos. The mezzo-soprano voice resonates in a higher range than that of a contralto. The terms ''[[Louise-Rosalie Lefebvre|Dugazon]]'' and ''[[Célestine Galli-Marié|Galli-Marié]]'' are sometimes used to refer to light mezzo-sopranos, after the names of famous singers. Usually men singing within the female range are called [[countertenor]]s since there is a lighter more breathy tonal (falsetto) quality difference.<ref name=Stark>{{cite book
|title= Bel Canto: A History of Vocal Pedagogy
|last= Stark
|first= James
|year= 2003
|publisher= University of Toronto Press
|isbn= 978-0-8020-8614-3}}</ref> In current operatic practice, female singers with very low [[tessitura]]s are often included among mezzo-sopranos, because singers in both ranges are able to cover the other, and true operatic contraltos are very rare.<ref name=Appelman />

==Subtypes and roles in opera==
Within the mezzo-soprano voice type category are three generally recognized subcategories: coloratura mezzo-soprano, lyric mezzo-soprano, and dramatic mezzo-soprano.

=== Coloratura ===
A coloratura mezzo-soprano has a warm lower register and an agile high register. The roles they sing often demand not only the use of the lower register but also leaps into the upper tessitura with highly ornamented, rapid passages. They have a range from approximately the G below middle C (G<sub>3</sub>, 196&nbsp;Hz) to the B two octaves above middle C (B<sub>5</sub>, 988&nbsp;Hz). Some coloratura mezzo-sopranos can sing up to high C (C<sub>6</sub>, 1047&nbsp;Hz) or high D (D<sub>6</sub>, 1175&nbsp;Hz), but this is very rare.<ref name=Appelman />
What distinguishes these voices from being called sopranos is their extension into the lower register and warmer vocal quality. Although coloratura mezzo-sopranos have impressive and at times thrilling high notes, they are most comfortable singing in the middle of their range, rather than the top.<ref name=Boldrey />

Many of the hero roles in the operas of [[George Frideric Handel|Handel]] and [[Claudio Monteverdi|Monteverdi]], originally sung by male castrati, can be successfully sung today by coloratura mezzo-sopranos. Rossini demanded similar qualities for his comic heroines, and [[Antonio Vivaldi|Vivaldi]] wrote roles frequently for this voice as well. Coloratura mezzo-sopranos also often sing lyric-mezzo-soprano roles or soubrette roles.<ref name=Caldwell />

Coloratura mezzo-soprano roles in operas ('''*'''''denotes a lead role''):
{{column list|colwidth=30em|
* Angelina (Cenerentola), ''[[La Cenerentola]]'' ([[Gioachino Rossini|Rossini]])*
* Ariodante, ''[[Ariodante]]'' ([[George Frideric Handel|Handel]])*
* Baba the Turk, ''[[The Rake's Progress]]'' ([[Igor Stravinsky|Stravinsky]])
* Griselda, ''[[Griselda (Vivaldi)|Griselda]]'' ([[Antonio Vivaldi|Vivaldi]])*
* Isabella, ''[[L'italiana in Algeri]]'' ([[Gioachino Rossini|Rossini]])*
* Isolier, ''[[Le comte Ory]]'' ([[Gioachino Rossini|Rossini]])*
* Julius Caesar, ''[[Giulio Cesare]]'' ([[George Frideric Handel|Handel]])*
* Orsini, ''[[Lucrezia Borgia (opera)|Lucrezia Borgia]]'' ([[Gaetano Donizetti|Donizetti]])
* Romeo, ''[[I Capuleti e i Montecchi]]'' ([[Vincenzo Bellini]])*
* Ruggiero, ''[[Alcina]]'' ([[George Frideric Handel|Handel]])*
* Rosina, ''[[The Barber of Seville]]'' ([[Gioachino Rossini|Rossini]])*
* Serse, ''[[Serse]]'' ([[George Frideric Handel|Handel]])*
* Tancredi, ''[[Tancredi]]'' ([[Gioachino Rossini|Rossini]])*
}}

=== Lyric ===
The lyric mezzo-soprano has a range from approximately the G note below middle C (G<sub>3</sub>, 196&nbsp;Hz) to the A two octaves above middle C (A<sub>5</sub>, 880&nbsp;Hz).<ref name=Appelman /> This voice has a very smooth, sensitive and at times lachrymose quality. Lyric mezzo-sopranos do not have the vocal agility of the coloratura mezzo-soprano or the size of the dramatic mezzo-soprano. The lyric mezzo-soprano is ideal for most [[trouser role]]s.<ref name=Boldrey />

Lyric mezzo-soprano roles in operas ('''*'''''denotes a lead role''):
{{column list|colwidth=30em|
* Adalgisa, ''[[Norma (opera)|Norma]]'' ([[Bellini]])
* Ariadne, ''[[The Minotaur (opera)|The Minotaur]]'' ([[Harrison Birtwistle|Birtwistle]])
* Carmen, ''[[Carmen]]'' ([[Georges Bizet|Bizet]])*
* Charlotte, ''[[Werther]]'' ([[Jules Massenet|Massenet]])*
* The Composer, ''[[Ariadne auf Naxos]]'' ([[Richard Strauss]])
* Dido, ''[[Dido and Aeneas]]'' ([[Henry Purcell|Purcell]])*
* Floßhilde, ''[[Das Rheingold]]'', ''[[Götterdämmerung]]'' ([[Richard Wagner]])
* Hänsel, ''[[Hansel and Gretel (opera)|Hansel and Gretel]]'' ([[Engelbert Humperdinck (composer)|Humperdinck]])*
* Jo, ''[[Little Women (opera)|Little Women]]'' ([[Mark Adamo]])
* Marguerite, ''[[La damnation de Faust]]'' ([[Hector Berlioz|Berlioz]])*
* Meg, ''[[Little Women (opera)|Little Women]]'' ([[Mark Adamo]])
* Mignon, ''[[Mignon]]'' ([[Ambroise Thomas]])*
* Miranda, ''[[The Tempest (opera)|The Tempest]]'' ([[Thomas Adès]])
* Mother, ''[[Amahl and the Night Visitors]]'' ([[Gian Carlo Menotti|Menotti]])*
* Nancy, ''[[Albert Herring]]'' ([[Britten]])
* Nicklausse, ''[[The Tales of Hoffmann]]'' ([[Jacques Offenbach|Offenbach]])
* Octavian, ''[[Der Rosenkavalier]]'' ([[Richard Strauss]])*
* Orlofsky, ''[[Die Fledermaus]]'' ([[Johann Strauss II]])
* The Pilgrim, ''[[L'Amour de loin]]'' ([[Kaija Saariaho]])*
* Puck, ''[[Oberon]]'' ([[Carl Maria von Weber|Weber]])
* Sesto, ''[[Giulio Cesare]]'' ([[George Frideric Handel|Handel]])
* Siebel, ''[[Faust (opera)|Faust]]'' ([[Charles Gounod|Gounod]])
* Sorceress, ''[[Dido and Aeneas]]'' ([[Henry Purcell|Purcell]])
* Stephano, ''[[Roméo et Juliette]]'' ([[Charles Gounod]])
* Suzuki, ''[[Madama Butterfly]]'' ([[Giacomo Puccini|Puccini]])
* Tisbe, ''[[La Cenerentola]]'' ([[Gioachino Rossini|Rossini]])
}}

=== Dramatic ===
A dramatic mezzo-soprano has a strong medium register, a warm high register and a voice that is broader and more powerful than the lyric and coloratura mezzo-sopranos. This voice has less vocal facility than the coloratura mezzo-soprano. The range of the dramatic mezzo-soprano is from approximately the F below middle C (F<sub>3</sub>, 175&nbsp;Hz) to the G two octaves above middle C (G<sub>5</sub>, 784&nbsp;Hz).<ref name=Appelman /> The dramatic mezzo-soprano can sing over an orchestra and chorus with ease and was often used in the 19th century opera, to portray older women, mothers, witches and evil characters. Verdi wrote many roles for this voice in the Italian repertoire and there are also a few good roles in the French Literature. The majority of these roles, however, are within the German Romantic repertoire of composers like [[Richard Wagner|Wagner]] and [[Richard Strauss]]. Like coloratura mezzos, dramatic mezzos are also often cast in lyric mezzo-soprano roles.<ref name=Boldrey />

Dramatic mezzo-soprano roles in operas ('''*'''''denotes a lead role''):
{{column list|colwidth=30em|
* Azucena, ''[[Il trovatore]]'' ([[Giuseppe Verdi|Verdi]])*
* Amneris, ''[[Aida]]'' (Verdi)*
* Adelaide, ''[[Arabella]]'' ([[Richard Strauss]])
* Brangäne, ''[[Tristan und Isolde]]'' (Richard Wagner)
* The Countess, ''[[The Queen of Spades (opera)|The Queen of Spades]]'' ([[Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky|Tchaikovsky]])
* Dalila, ''[[Samson and Delilah (opera)|Samson and Delilah]]'' ([[Camille Saint-Saëns|Saint-Saëns]])*
* Dido, ''[[Les Troyens]]'' ([[Hector Berlioz|Berlioz]])*
* Dorabella, ''[[Così fan tutte]]'' ([[Mozart]])
* Eboli, ''[[Don Carlos]]'' (Verdi)
* Fricka, ''[[Das Rheingold]]'', ''[[Die Walküre]]'' (Wagner)
* Gertrud, ''[[Hansel and Gretel (opera)|Hansel and Gretel]]'' ([[Engelbert Humperdinck (composer)|Humperdinck]])
* The Gingerbread Witch, ''Hansel and Gretel'' (Humperdinck)
* Herodias, ''[[Salome (opera)|Salome]]'' (Richard Strauss)
* Judith, ''[[Bluebeard's Castle]]'' ([[Béla Bartók|Bartók]])*
* Klytämnestra, ''[[Elektra (opera)|Elektra]]'' (Richard Strauss)
* Laura, ''[[La Gioconda (opera)|La Gioconda]]'' ([[Amilcare Ponchielli|Ponchielli]])
* Marina, ''[[Boris Godunov (opera)|Boris Godunov]]'' ([[Modest Mussorgsky|Mussorgsky]])
* Ortrud, ''[[Lohengrin (opera)|Lohengrin]]'' (Wagner)
* Princess de Bouillon, ''[[Adriana Lecouvreur]]'' ([[Francesco Cilea|Cilea]])
* Venus, ''[[Tannhäuser (opera)|Tannhäuser]]'' ([[Richard Wagner|Wagner]])
* Waltraute, ''[[Die Walküre]]'', ''[[Götterdämmerung]]'' (Wagner)
* Zweite Dame (Second Lady), ''[[The Magic Flute]]'' (Mozart)
* Zweite Norn (Second Norn), ''[[Götterdämmerung]]'' (Wagner)
}}

=== Gilbert and Sullivan and operetta ===
All of [[Gilbert and Sullivan]]'s [[Savoy opera]]s have at least one mezzo-soprano character. Notable [[operetta]] roles are:

{{Div col|colwidth=30em|}}
* The Lady Angela, ''[[Patience (opera)|Patience]]'' (Gilbert and Sullivan)
* Cousin Hebe, ''[[H.M.S. Pinafore]]'' (Gilbert and Sullivan)
* Edith, ''[[The Pirates of Penzance]]'' (Gilbert and Sullivan)
* Iolanthe, ''[[Iolanthe]]'' (Gilbert and Sullivan)
* Mad Margaret, ''[[Ruddigore]]'' (Gilbert and Sullivan)
* Melissa, ''[[Princess Ida]]'' (Gilbert and Sullivan)
* Pitti-Sing, ''[[The Mikado]]'' (Gilbert and Sullivan)
* Phoebe Meryll, ''[[The Yeomen of the Guard]]'' (Gilbert and Sullivan)
* The Lady Saphir, ''[[Patience (opera)|Patience]]'' (Gilbert and Sullivan)
* Tessa, ''[[The Gondoliers]]'' (Gilbert and Sullivan)
{{div col end}}

== See also ==
* [[:Category:Mezzo-sopranos|Category of mezzo-sopranos]]
* ''[[Fach]]'', the German system for classifying voices
* [[Voice classification in non-classical music]]
* [[List of mezzo-sopranos in non-classical music]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== Further reading ==
*{{cite book
|title= Vocal Workouts for the Contemporary Singer
|last= Peckham
|first= Anne
|year= 2005
|publisher= Berklee Press
|isbn= 978-0-87639-047-4
|url-access= registration
|url= https://archive.org/details/vocalworkoutsfor0000peck|ref=none}}
*{{cite book
|title= Choral Pedagogy
|last= Smith
|first= Brenda
|year= 2005
|publisher= Plural Publishing
|isbn=978-1-59756-043-6|ref=none}}

==External links==
* {{Commons category-inline|Mezzo-sopranos}}
* {{Wiktionary-inline|Mezzo-soprano}}
* [http://www.operamania.com/voices-mezzo.htm Mezzo-soprano voices with video examples]

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[[Category:Voice types]]
[[Category:Italian opera terminology]]
[[Category:Mezzo-sopranos| ]]