Mezzo-soprano

A classical female voice type whose range generally lies between soprano and contralto. Mezzo-sopranos are often distinguished by a warm middle register, though range and timbre vary among singers.

Vocal range: The span from the lowest to the highest pitch a voice or instrument can produce. A mezzo-soprano’s customary range helps place the voice between soprano and contralto.
Soprano: The highest standard female voice type in classical singing. Its generally higher tessitura distinguishes it from mezzo-soprano.
Carmen (opera): Georges Bizet’s 1875 opera about Carmen, a fiercely independent woman in Seville. Carmen is a celebrated mezzo-soprano role whose music uses the voice’s lower warmth and dramatic flexibility.
Marilyn Horne: An American mezzo-soprano celebrated for coloratura technique and performances of Rossini and Handel. Her career helped renew attention to the mezzo-soprano’s agility and upper range.
Castrato: A male singer castrated before puberty to preserve a high singing voice into adulthood. Castrati once occupied prominent operatic roles later often assigned to mezzo-sopranos.
Tessitura: The part of a musical range in which a voice or instrument performs most comfortably and frequently. Tessitura often identifies a mezzo-soprano more reliably than extreme notes do.
Contralto: The lowest standard female voice type in classical singing. Its lower range and darker vocal weight mark the other neighboring category.
Cherubino: A young page in Mozart’s opera The Marriage of Figaro, traditionally sung by a mezzo-soprano. The role exemplifies a trouser role written for a mezzo-soprano portraying a boy.
Cecilia Bartoli: An Italian mezzo-soprano known for virtuoso performances of Baroque and bel canto repertoire. Her work demonstrates the technical range and stylistic breadth of the voice type.
Bel canto: An Italian operatic style emphasizing beautiful tone, legato phrasing, and vocal agility. Its repertoire helped establish demanding mezzo-soprano roles and coloratura conventions.

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