The World of the Castrati: The History of an Extraordinary Operatic Phenomenon - Tapa dura

A castrato is an opera singer who has been castrated before puberty to preserve the soprano or contralto range of his voice. This 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 when the fashion for castrati was at its peak. The World of the Castrati analyzes each singer's social background, training, career, and relationship with society. In addition, the book explores the rationale for castration, the nature of the unusual voice, and the underlying emotional relationship of the singers.