Dear Vocalisters:
It is my understanding that the term Mezzo Soprano is a 20th Century
invention. In the early 19th Century female voice categories were
Soprano and Contralto. Those categorized as contraltos during this
time who developed an upward extension of the voice were given roles
such as Norma. Male voices were Tenor or Bass.
The subdivision of voices into many different categories, a
characteristic of the late 19th and early 20th Centuries, created the
rather modern category of mezzo-soprano.
In my opinion, all of this reflects our 20th Century penchant for
creating boxes of definitions in which to place things (voices,
diseases, methods of learning, emotional problems, etc.) so we do not
have to think so carefully about them again. It is nice to see that
this naming obsession is beginning to unravel.
--
Lloyd W. Hanson, DMA
Professor of Voice, Pedagogy
School of Performing Arts
Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, AZ 86011
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