Castrato

A male singer castrated before puberty to preserve a high vocal range. Castrati became especially prominent in European church music and opera from the 16th through the 19th centuries.

Puberty: The developmental stage when hormonal changes produce sexual maturity and secondary sex characteristics. Castration before puberty prevented the usual growth of the larynx and deepening of the voice.
Castration: The removal or disabling of the gonads, resulting in loss of reproductive capacity and reduced sex-hormone production. The practice was the bodily intervention that produced castrato singers.
Farinelli: The stage name of Carlo Broschi, an 18th-century Italian castrato celebrated across Europe. His fame and royal engagements exemplify the castrato’s peak cultural status.
Baroque opera: Opera composed and performed during the Baroque period, roughly from 1600 to 1750. Castrati became major stars in the operatic style of this era.
Vatican choir: The musical ensembles associated with worship and ceremonies at the Vatican. Castrati remained in Vatican musical institutions after opera audiences had largely moved on.
Larynx: The organ in the throat that contains the vocal folds and produces sound. Its limited growth helped preserve the castrato’s unusually high vocal register.
Sistine Chapel Choir: The choir that performs liturgical music at the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel. Castrati sang in its choir after women were barred from church performance.
Senesino: The stage name of Francesco Bernardi, an Italian castrato and leading Handelian opera singer. His London performances helped define the prestige of castrato roles.
Sacred music: Music composed or performed for religious worship and ceremony. Castrati sang in church choirs where women were excluded from liturgical performance.
Human rights: Rights and freedoms considered inherent to every person, regardless of status or identity. The practice raises questions about bodily autonomy and exploitation of children.

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