Comments on: The Ultimate Sacrifice for Music: Castration!

By: web design

web design — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 09:52:50 +0000

...And now he sings soprano!

By: Alnitak

Alnitak — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 05:49:45 +0000

I learned about Farinelli by the biographic movie of the same name, back in the 90s. The story was probably a bit altered for dramatic purposes, yet I think it was quite enlightening on the subject of the castrati.

By: andrewdoane

andrewdoane — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 19:29:09 +0000

Well, I won't be able to eat dinner now, having read that.

By: hiland

hiland — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 15:53:34 +0000

His recordings are available on cd....
Moreschi - The Last Castrato

http://www.amazon.com/Moreschi-Last-Castrato-Giovanni-Aldega/dp/B00000 0WYS/ref=pd_bbs_2?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1212767659&sr=8-2

By: Moon

Moon — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 15:26:52 +0000

I don't know if it's EXACTLY the same, but opera has singers called counter-tenors, who sing the parts that castrati used to sing.

It's a little bit shocking when you first hear one and they really seem to strain their whole bodies to sing like that.

By: gtron

gtron — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 15:26:26 +0000

having done a fair amount of voice over work, I know that pitch can be altered... I am wondering if a modern singer were to approximate the songs discussed and then in post production the Octaves could be altered so we might hear a simulated version of the power of a Castrato - very interesting to hear of a human accomplishment and not be able to witness it.

By: cuimhne

cuimhne — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 10:20:34 +0000

Oh yes didn't they play the recording on QI? He sounded terrible! Fascinating piece though, I'd heard of the castrati but not of Farinelli