mezza voce

American  

[met-suh voh-chey, med-zuh, mez-uh] / ˈmɛt sə ˈvoʊ tʃeɪ, ˈmɛd zə, ˈmɛz ə /

adverb

1. with half the power of the voice (used as a musical direction). m.v.

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mezza voce British  

/ ˈmɛtsə ˈvəʊtʃɪ, ˈmɛddza ˈvotʃe /

adverb

1. music (in singing) softly; quietly

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Etymology

Origin of mezza voce

Borrowed into English from Italian around 1765–75

Example Sentences

Conducted by its creator, Thomas Adès, and directed by the mezza voce Tom Cairns, the performance is a classical genre manifested within a dreamlike late-1950s horror show.

From New York Times • Sep. 6, 2017

The mezza voce Christoph Friedrich Bretzner dialogue depicts Belmonte, sung by Yijie Shi and Airam Hernández, as he tries to rescue his love, Konstanze, sung by Desirée Rancatore and Elena Gorshunova.

From New York Times • Sep. 6, 2017

Vocal style usually went out the window when he saw a chance to prolong a honeyed mezza voce, a thundering high B-flat, a sob, a gulp or a tearful portamento.

From Time Magazine Archive

Of this we may be sure, that no one can sing a good full tone unless he can sing a good mezza voce.

From The Head Voice and Other Problems Practical Talks on Singing by Clippinger, D. A. (David Alva)

I also sing most of my exercises mezza voce.

From Great Singers on the Art of Singing Educational Conferences with Foremost Artists by Cooke, James Francis