mezzo-soprano explained
A female voice type sitting between soprano and contralto, with a warm, rich middle register
In Depth
The mezzo-[soprano](/term/mezzo-soprano) range typically spans from A3 to A5, with a tessitura centred lower than a soprano. Mezzos are divided into lyric mezzo (warm, agile, suited to Mozart trouser roles), dramatic mezzo (powerful, rich, suited to Verdi and Wagner), and coloratura mezzo (agile with low extension, suited to Rossini). In opera, mezzos often play witches, seductresses, mothers, and trouser roles. The voice type is sometimes overlooked in favour of the showier soprano, but the greatest mezzos command equal devotion.
Janet Baker, one of the greatest mezzo-sopranos in history, retired from opera at the height of her powers to preserve her voice — a decision that shocked the music world.