On the value of mezzos ...

[Angel]

I was having a conversation with a friend the other day about how in general music theatre and opera, mezzos are totally under-appreciated. Seriously, I challenge you to think of one show where the mezzo has a happy ending and the soprano doesn't. It took us ages to eventually come up with Cats, but we were still a bit dubious about whether it counted, given that all the other characters detest Grizabella for pretty much the entire show. And that was it. Ditto for baritones/basses. Think about it.

If I ever become a composer, I'm writing a show where the mezzo and the baritone get together and the soprano and tenor evaporate.

Anyway, does anyone have any thoughts?

[Jaycee]

Well, I think the Reason Sopranos are so appreciated is because they work so hard to hit all those high notes. But I guess that's no reason to underapprecaite the mezzos. JUst out of curiosity, are you a mezzo soprano? BEcause I would never have thought of something like that, being a top soprano, who enjoys nothing better thann hitting a spectacularly high note.

[Angel]

I think a lot of people hold that opinion, Jaycee, and I can see where they're coming from. Sopranos do sound just so much more spectacular and impressive than mezzos when they get up into their higher register. However, the 'working hard for it', I think, should apply to the entire range. For example, last year for an arts festival, I sang Think of Me and I got lots of 'OMG you can hit high notes!' comments. However, another girl sang Memory, and I was so impressed with how rich and even her tone was over her entire range, which is something I happen to know she had been working her butt off about (and is something that I also struggle with at times), but I noticed hardly anyone seemed to care.

While sopranos work hard, I believe mezzos, altos, tenors, baritones, basses and anything in between work equally as hard to sing the notes in their range as well as they can. Does that make sense?

In answer to your question, Jaycee, I'm a soprano who thought she was a mezzo until about the start of this year

[Jaycee]

Hmm, I don't think I've ever really heard a particularly spectacular mezzo, so I guess that's why I never really thought about it. In my choir, the really good ones are the sopranos and the altos (since it's a girls choir, the altos are as low as it gets). I think it takes a good singer to hear stuff like that, because an ordinary audience knows nothing about tone quality or anything like that. The high notes are easier to appreciate because everyone knows that they're hard to hit.

[Angel]

Maybe I'm just a perfectionist Or really, really hard to please. I actually find it really hard to listen to someone sing without pretty much tearing apart their performance to find the pros and cons; it really annoys me because I honestly want to just enjoy the music. And I certainly don't consider myself an expert vocalist or anywhere near it ... I suppose it's like a little knowledge goes a long way. But I've still got a lot to learn.

Again, I agree with you about the general audience reaction to a top-note-hitting soprano. It does sound really difficult -- and it is. But, for me, an awesome 'On My Own' or 'As Long As He Needs Me' has a lot more wow factor than, say TOM or WYWSHA, simply because I find belting out those top notes one heck of a lot harder than the typical 'soprano ingenue' songs, if you know what I mean. Maybe it's just a matter of taste.

I don't necessarily think that altos/mezzos work harder or sing more difficult repertoire than sopranos -- just that sopranos often seem to get all the kudos.

[LittleLotte394]

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but I heard somewhere that the part of Eva Peron, in Evita, is written for a mezzo. Then again, she doesn't exactly have a happy ending, but she is the star.

As far as good parts for other vocal ranges besides soprano and tenor...I'm not really sure. The only show I can think of with good parts for every vocal range is Cats.

I myself am a mezzo, so I feel the pain of lack of happy endings for us.

[Angel]

That's probably true, Lotte. I'm not very familiar with Evita (just know that basic plot and 'Don't Cry for Me, Argentina'), but it wouldn't surprise me, if that's what you've heard.

There are plenty of incredible roles for mezzos and altos in music theatre, and many are starring roles. Think of Elphaba (Wicked), Mrs Lovett (Sweeney Todd), Mary Magdalene (Jesus Christ Superstar), Golde (Fiddler on the Roof), Marian (The Woman in White) and many more. My point, really, I guess, is that they never seem to get a really good ol' happy ending. It's either mediocre fare for them or something downright nasty ... or if it is good, it's generally surpassed by the soprano ...

Anyway, just as an example, take the show Les Miserables. Fantine and Eponine are both mezzos and both have much larger roles in the show than Cosette, the soprano. How do they end up? Fantine - dead. Eponine - dead. Cosette - happily married.

Try again with, say, Sweeney Todd. Mrs Lovett and the Beggar Woman are both mezzos. Mrs Lovett is the female lead, and the Beggar Woman has a substantially bigger role than Johanna, the soprano. Their fates? Mrs Lovett - dead. Beggar Woman - dead. Johanna - happily engaged and looking forward to a Parisian wedding.

However, the good thing about the mezzo roles I've mentioned is that they seem to, as a general thing, have more depth and are far more interesting than their soprano counterparts. Generally.

[eriksprotege]

Christine's a mezzo with coloratural extension. Tessitura's quite low, and she goes all the way down to...is it an A4 or a G3? I forgot. The whole thing's sung in a legit classical style, too, so I'm treating it as such...so, well, yeah.

Marian, too. From The Music Man. Goes all the way down to a G3 and only goes up to an A6...Except it's not exactly legit classical. But, still. I consider it a mezzo role. She has a happy ending.

And, uh...is Elphaba's ending happy or sad? Bittersweet, I guess. Does that count?

Plus Pacquette and the Old Woman from Candide. Bittersweet. But Cunegonde suffered a lot, too...

I think there's more, but I'm too lazy right now...

Oh, and if you want sad soprano endings...look at some of the dramatic soprano roles. And Madame Butterfly.

If you want sad tenor endings...Look at Don Giovanni!

[Angel]

I agree with you that Christine has a lower tessitura than most soprano roles, often in the mezzo range, but I'd still classify her as a soprano role -- she has a number of sustained high parts, and not just the TOM and title song cadenzas, but several sustained high As (I'm hopeless with the numbering ...) She goes down to the G below middle C, according to my sheet music, though -- it's a big range role. However, it definitely could be sung by a mezzo with a strong upper extension, in my opinion. (I'm confusing myself a bit here ...)

Marian's one I can never make up my mind about

And you're very right about sad soprano and tenor endings -- I'm not denying that they have it tough a fair bit, because they do. My main gripe was really that it's rare to find a scenario where the soprano/tenor meets a sticky (or sad) end, while the mezzo/baritone can be happy. I'm sure that they exist; I just think it's a bit of an odd trend ... ::shrugs::