Mezzo-Soprano
Pronunciation: MET-soe pee-AH-noe
What is Mezzo-Soprano?
Mezzo-Soprano is a female singing voice that falls halfway between the soprano and the contralto. Also known as Mezzos, as the singers are called, this range of voice overlaps between soprano and contralto, but the tone usually has a heavier and darker undertone than the high-pitched soprano.
Key Takeaways
- Mezzo-Soprano is a classical female singing voice that means halfway between soprano and contralto.
- Mezzo-Soprano overlaps between soprano and contralto, but never going higher than the soprano, and never going lower than the contralto.
- Mezzo-Soprano is defined as having a darker and heavier tone than the high-pitched soprano singing voice.
Understanding Mezzo-Soprano
Mezzo means “half” in Italian, and soprano means “high.” Therefore, Mezzo-Soprano literally means half soprano singing, with the female singer able to sing from A below middle C to the A two octaves above, and as low as F below middle C. Mezzo Sopranos are usually considered as second voices to the soprano.
Related Terms
Falsetto Falsetto is defined as a male singing voice that’s unusually high. more
A Cappella A Cappella is a style of singing performance where a soloist or group creates music with no instrumental accompaniment. more
Contralto Contralto is a type of singing voice that registers at the lowest range of a female voice type. more