The Castrato Sacrifice: Was it Justified? Page: 40
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:
age, making his successful singing debut in "La serva padrona" in Rome. His success kept
growing, and was such in Milan that a "silver medal was struck in his honour by the Academia
of the city" (Heriot 1975). He was known as quite a lady killer, and even enticed a married
woman by the name of Maria Cosway to leave her husband and children and follow Marchesi all
over Europe for several years, causing quite the scandal.
This incredible success and acclaim apparently fostered quite a sizeable ego, as
evidenced primarily by the peculiar way that Marchesi insisted upon being announced onstage.
His contracts specifically detailed that, in any opera, regardless of the character he was
portraying, his first entrance be announced by trumpet fanfare. Wearing a lavish helmet with
multi-colored plumes a full yard high, he would descend a hill on horseback, no matter what the
scene. He then would commence to sing one of his favorite arie di baule, usually Sarti's "Mia
speranza, io pur vorrei," written specifically for Marchesi's voice. This spectacularly vain
entrance was the same no matter what the opera, with a total disregard for storyline or musical
consistency. But these demands were met, show after show, defining both the castrati's supreme
importance and also the overwhelming conceit from which some of them suffered.
The best were in extreme demand, so they could easily command astronomical salaries.
Scholz emphatically states that "Cultural life in the 17th and 18th centuries was unthinkable
without vocal castrati. People went to the opera less to experience the dramatic plot than to hear
castrati singing..." (Scholz 2001). Particularly around Turin, singers in general and particularly
castrati, were able to command, and receive, elevated salaries (Bouquet 1968). According to
Luigi Riccoboni, author of Reflexions historiques et critiques sur les differens theatres de
/ 'Europe:
...for these Thirty years past, a fine Singer, either Man or Woman, has always had
upwards of one hundred Golden Sequins, Sancta Stella, Faustina, Cuzzoni and Farinelli,40
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/m1/43/: accessed May 13, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; .