The Castrato Sacrifice: Was it Justified? Page: 32
View a full description of this thesis.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
screaming at me." Apparently he feared that a woman would find him sexually inadequate after
a time (Abbott 1999).
The great Farinelli was also believed to be chaste. Although he was widely known for
not only being an extraordinary singer but a very handsome young man, the realm of love
seemed to hold little interest for him, although countless admirers must have tried. Despite all of
his enamored fans, not a single amorous story of Farinelli has been told (Heriot 1975).
Farinelli and Balatri seemed to be the exception to this rule, however. Many castrati
lived rather promiscuous lives. Because their unions could produce no embarrassing offspring to
explain, women saw them not only as beautiful, ethereal celebrities of the opera stage, but as
prime candidates for affairs. Heriot tells us of a particularly sought-after castrato in Naples
named Matteuccio:
Many of the castrati were famous lady-killers; and they were of course much in demand
by the opposite sex, for their embraces could not lead to awkward consequences....
Matteuccio "could not bear to stay for long away from this city [Naples], where he was
loved by all, and particularly by the ladies, as much because he was handsome and a
eunuch, as for his sweet and sonorous voice." (Heriot 1975)
A few castrati even got married, such as Tenducci. He eloped with an Irish girl of
respectable family origins. This caused much consternation from her family and friends, and
ultimately resulted in Tenducci being thrown into jail numerous times. Finally the father of his
bride capitulated and they were able to enjoy a relatively quiet life, despite some debt trouble in
London. Some others who had public affairs were not as fortunate, and ended up paying for
their amorous behavior with their lives.
One of the most famous tales of a castrato romance is that of Siface, or Giovanni
Francesco Grossi. He was quite a successful singer, garnering the nickname Siface from
Cavalli's "Scipione Africano," in which he portrayed a character of that name to much acclaim.32
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This thesis can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Thesis.
Sowle, Jennifer. The Castrato Sacrifice: Was it Justified?, thesis, August 2006; Denton, Texas. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc5343/m1/35/: accessed May 13, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; .