Mezzo-Soprano

The mezzo-soprano ("mezzo" for short) sits between the soprano and the alto. The name means "half soprano" in Italian, but a mezzo is not a weaker soprano: the voice has its own darker, warmer color, especially in the middle and lower range, and many mezzos have plenty of high notes too.

Range

A typical classical mezzo-soprano range is about A3 to A5. Many mezzos can sing a little lower or higher, and the boundaries with soprano and alto overlap. What sets the voice apart is usually its color and its most comfortable area (tessitura), which lies lower than a soprano's.

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Kinds of mezzo-soprano

• Coloratura mezzo: agile, with fast runs and a wide range; much Rossini writing suits this voice.
• Lyric mezzo: smooth and warm, often cast in "trouser roles," young male characters sung by women, such as Cherubino in Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro.
• Dramatic mezzo: rich and powerful, with a strong lower range. The title role of Bizet's Carmen is one of the most famous mezzo roles.

In a choir

Choirs usually have only soprano and alto parts for women, so a mezzo sings whichever suits her better, often second soprano or first alto. Mezzos are valuable in both sections because they can strengthen the lower soprano notes or the upper alto line.

How mezzo parts are written

Mezzo-soprano parts are written in treble clef at the pitch they sound.

Tips for mezzo-sopranos

• Don't push the chest voice too high; blend into a mixed sound through the middle of the range.
• Explore songs that sit in the middle of the staff, where the voice's color shows best.
• Range alone won't tell you whether you are a soprano or a mezzo. A teacher listens to color, comfort and where your voice changes register.