This entertaining, authoritative book is the first study of the phenomenon of the castrati in relation to the baroque period, covering the lives and triumphs of more than 60 singers over three centuries, when the fashion for castrati was at its peak.
This entertaining, authoritative book is the first study of the phenomenon of the castrati in relation to the baroque period, covering the lives and triumphs of more than 60 singers over three centuries, when the fashion for castrati was at its peak.
"One of the strangest episodes in operatic history is the story of the castrati. In their heyday they were the toast of Europe: idolised, feted, adored by men and women alike, patronised by royalty and the nobility. They were showered with gifts, lived in the height of luxury an…