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Although female roles were performed by castrati in some of the papal states, this was increasingly rare; by 1680, they had supplanted normal male voices in lead roles, and retained their position as primo uomo for about a hundred years; [11] an Italian opera not featuring at least one renowned castrato in a lead part would be doomed to fail.
Farinelli is widely regarded as the greatest, most accomplished, and most respected opera singer of the "castrato" era, which lasted from the early 1600s into the early 1800s, and while there were a vast number of such singers during this period, originating especially from the Neapolitan School of such composers as Nicola Porpora, Alessandro ...
Baroque opera was noted for its complicated and ornate scenography, with sudden changes and complicated lighting and sensory effects. Numerous sets were used, up to fifteen or twenty changes of scenery per performance. [36] There began a taste for solo voices, mainly treble (tenor, soprano), which led in parallel to the phenomenon of the castrati.
Pier Francesco Tosi (c. 1653 – 1732) was a castrato singer, composer, and writer on music. His Opinoni de' cantori antichi e moderni... was the first full-length treatise on singing and provides a unique glimpse into the technical and social aspects of Baroque vocal music.
Please consider expanding the lead to provide an accessible overview of all important aspects of the article. ( May 2024 ) Alessandro Moreschi (11 November 1858 – 21 April 1922) was an Italian chorister of the late 19th century and the only castrato to make solo recordings .
Such eunuchs were known as castrati. As women were sometimes forbidden to sing in Church, their place was taken by castrati. Castrati became very popular in 18th century opera seria. The practice, known as castratism, remained popular until the 18th century and was known into the 19th century.
It is known among Baroque opera enthusiasts for its florid vocal lines and taxing tessituras. It premiered during the carnival season on 4 February 1730 at the Teatro delle Dame in Rome. [3] As women were banned from the opera stage in Rome in the 18th century, all the female roles in the original production were taken up by castrati. [4]
Marco Antonio Pasqualini (stage name Malagigi; [1] Rome, 25 April 1614 – Rome, 2 July 1691) was an Italian castrato opera singer who performed during the Baroque period. He has been described as "the leading male soprano of his day". [2] He was also a composer, having written more than 250 arias and cantatas.