Mezzo-soprano

Voice type

Female voices Soprano Mezzo-soprano Contralto Male voices Countertenor Tenor Baritone Bass

A mezzo-soprano (/ˈmɛtsoʊ/ in English, but [ˈmɛddzo] in Italian) (meaning "medium" or "middle" "soprano" in Italian) is a type of classical female singing voice whose range lies between the soprano and the contralto singing voices, usually extending from the A below middle C to the A two octaves above (i.e. A₃-A₅ in scientific pitch notation, where middle C = C₄). In the lower and upper extremes, some mezzo-sopranos may extend down to the G below middle C (G₃) and as high as "high C" (C₆).^[1]

While 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 Dugazon and Galli-Marié are sometimes used to refer to light mezzo-sopranos, after the names of famous singers. A castrato with a vocal range equivalent to a mezzo-soprano's range is referred to as a mezzo-soprano castrato or mezzista. Today, however, only women should be referred to as mezzo-sopranos; men singing within the female range are called countertenors.^[2] In current operatic practice, female singers with very low tessituras are often included among mezzo-sopranos, because singers in both ranges are able to cover the other, and true operatic contraltos are very rare.^[1] For information regarding non-classical mezzo-sopranos see Voice classification in non-classical music.

Mezzo-sopranos typically sing secondary roles in operas; notable exceptions include the title role in Bizet's Carmen, Angelina (Cinderella) in Rossini's La Cenerentola, and Rosina in Rossini's Barber of Seville (all of which are also sung by sopranos). Typical roles for mezzo-sopranos include the stereotypical triad associated with contraltos of "witches, bitches, and britches":^[3] witches, nurses, and wise women, such as Azucena in Verdi's Il trovatore; villains and seductresses such as Amneris in Verdi's Aida; and "trouser" characters (male characters played by female singers) such as Cherubino in Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro. Mezzo-sopranos are also well represented in baroque music, early music and baroque opera.^[1] However, there is a significant tradition in French-language operas of the 19th Century to give the leading female role to mezzos, as for example in Béatrice et Bénédict, La Damnation de Faust, Don Quichotte, La Favorite, Mignon, Samson et Dalila, Les Troyens, and Werther as well as the aforementioned Carmen.

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.^[4] Mezzos also sometimes play dramatic soprano roles such as Santuzza in Mascagni's Cavalleria rusticana, Lady Macbeth in Verdi's Macbeth, and Kundry in Wagner's Parsifal.^[5]

In general mezzos are broken down into three categories: Coloratura mezzo-sopranos, Lyric mezzo-soprano, and Dramatic mezzo-sopranos.

Coloratura mezzo-soprano

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 (G3) to the B two octaves above middle C (B5). Some coloratura mezzo-sopranos can sing up to high C (C6) or high D (D6), but this is very rare.^[1] 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.^[5]

Many of the hero roles in the operas of Handel and Monteverdi, originally sung by male castrati, can be successfully sung today by coloratura mezzo-sopranos. Rossini demanded similar qualities for his comic heroines, and Vivaldi wrote roles frequently for this voice as well. Coloratura mezzo-sopranos also often sing lyric-mezzo soprano roles or soubrette roles.^[4]

Coloratura mezzo-soprano roles in opera and operettas^[5]

Angelina- Cenerentola, La Cenerentola (Rossini)@ Ariodante, Ariodante (Händel) -- trouser role@ Griselda, Griselda (Vivaldi)@ Isabella, The Italian Girl in Algiers (Rossini)@ Julius Caesar, Giulio Cesare (Händel) -- trouser role@ Orsini, Lucrezia Borgia (Gaetano Donizetti) Ruggiero, Alcina (Händel) -- trouser role@ Rosina, The Barber of Seville (Rossini)@ Serse, Serse (Händel) -- trouser role@ Tancredi, Tancredi (Rossini) -- trouser role@ @-denotes a lead role Coloratura mezzo-soprano singers Cecilia Bartoli Teresa Berganza Joyce DiDonato Gail Dubinbaum Sonia Ganassi Elīna Garanča Vivica Genaux Marilyn Horne Vesselina Kasarova Jennifer Larmore Elena Obraztsova Conchita Supervía Lucia Valentini Terrani Lyric mezzo-soprano The Lyric mezzo-soprano has a range from approximately the G below middle C to the B two octaves above middle C.[1] 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 roles.[5] Lyric mezzo-soprano roles in opera and operettas[5] Annio, La clemenza di Tito (Mozart) -- trouser role Carmen, Carmen (Georges Bizet)@ (Also Dramatic Mezzo-Soprano) Charlotte, Werther (Massenet)@ Cherubino, The Marriage of Figaro (Mozart) -- trouser role The Composer, Ariadne auf Naxos (Richard Strauss) -- trouser role Donna Elvira, Don Giovanni (Mozart) Dorabella, Così fan tutte (Mozart)@ Hänsel, Hänsel und Gretel (Humperdinck) -- trouser role@ Idamante, Idomeneo, re di Creta (Mozart) -- trouser role Marguerite, La damnation de Faust (Hector Berlioz)@ Mignon, Mignon (Ambroise Thomas)@ Mother, Amahl and the Night Visitors (Menotti)@ Nicklausse, Les contes d'Hoffmann (Offenbach) -- trouser role, though he is a female Muse in disguise. Octavian, Der Rosenkavalier (Richard Strauss) -- trouser role@ Orlofsky, (Die Fledermaus) (Johann Strauss) -- trouser role Sesto, La clemenza di Tito (Mozart) -- trouser role Sesto, Giulio Cesare (Handel) Siebel, Faust (Charles Gounod) -- trouser role Sorceress, Dido and Aeneas (Henry Purcell) Dido, Dido and Aeneas (Henry Purcell)@ Stephano, Roméo et Juliette (Charles Gounod) -- trouser role Suzuki, Madama Butterfly @-Denotes a lead role Lyric mezzo-soprano singers Janet Baker Agnes Baltsa Michelle DeYoung Malena Ernman Brigitte Fassbaender Susan Graham Caitlin Hulcup Magdalena Kožená Lorraine Hunt Lieberson Nan Merriman Risë Stevens Gladys Swarthout Tatiana Troyanos Anne Sofie von Otter Frederica von Stade Dramatic mezzo-soprano 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 G below middle C to the B two octaves above middle C.[1] 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 Wagner and Strauss. Like Coloratura mezzos, dramatic mezzos are also often cast in lyric mezzo-soprano roles.[5] Dramatic mezzo-soprano roles in opera and operettas[5] Azucena, Il trovatore@ (Verdi) Amneris, Aida (Verdi) Brangäne, Tristan und Isolde (Wagner) Carmen, Carmen (Bizet)@ (Also Lyric Mezzo) The Countess, The Queen of Spades (Tchaikovsky) Dalila, Samson et Dalila (Saint-Saëns)@ Dido, Les Troyens (Berlioz)@ Eboli, Don Carlos (Verdi) Herodias, Salome (Richard Strauss) The Witch, Hänsel und Gretel (opera) (Humperdinck) Judith, Bluebeard's Castle (Bartók)@ (Also Dramatic Soprano) Kundry, Parsifal (Wagner)@ (also Dramatic soprano) Klytemnästra, Elektra (Richard Strauss) Laura, La Gioconda (Ponchielli) Marina, Boris Godunov (Mussorgsky) Mother, Hänsel und Gretel (opera) (Humperdinck) Ortrud, Lohengrin (Wagner) Princess de Bouillon, Adriana Lecouvreur (Cilea) @-denotes a lead role Dramatic mezzo-soprano singers Graciela Araya Irina Arkhipova Fedora Barbieri Stephanie Blythe Olga Borodina Grace Bumbry Viorica Cortez Fiorenza Cossotto Maria Gay Rita Gorr Denyce Graves Christa Ludwig Waltraud Meier Elena Obraztsova Regina Resnik Giulietta Simionato Ebe Stignani Blanche Thebom Josephine Veasey Shirley Verrett Dolora Zajick See also Category of mezzo-sopranos Fach List of mezzo-sopranos in non-classical music Voice classification in non-classical music Voice type References ^ a b c d e f Appelman, D. Ralph (1986). The Science of Vocal Pedagogy: Theory and Application. Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0253203786.  ^ Stark, James (2003). Bel Canto: A History of Vocal Pedagogy. University of Toronto Press. ISBN 978-0802086143.  ^ http://www.myoperas.com/habericerik.asp?id=31&baslik=Soprano,Mezzo-Soprano,Alto,Sopranist ^ a b Boldrey, Richard; Robert Caldwell, Werner Singer, Joan Wall and Roger Pines (1992). Singer's Edition (Soubrette): Operatic Arias - Soubrette. Caldwell Publishing Company. ISBN 978-1877761034.  ^ a b c d e f g Boldrey, Richard (1994). Guide to Operatic Roles and Arias. Caldwell Publishing Company. ISBN 978-18-7776-164-5.  External links Aria database Mezzo-soprano voices with video examples Further reading Peckham, Anne (2005). Vocal Workouts for the Contemporary Singer. Berklee Press Publications. ISBN 13: 978-0876390474.  Smith, Brenda (2005). Choral Pedagogy. Plural Publishing, Inc. ISBN 13: 978-1597560436.