The Castrato Sacrifice: Was it Justified? Page: 61
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:
made the decision to be castrated themselves, at least two of which became among the greatest
opera stars that ever lived.
Even the castrati that did not become wildly successful on the opera stage had their
futures secured in the Church. Despite the Papal ban on castration, a blind eye was turned to
these singers, and there were castrati on the payroll at the as early as the mid-1500s. Pope
Clement VIII described their service as ad honorum Dei, and the Church provided a home and
fantastic education for these boys. Life was not perfect, as jealously over their preferential
treatment abounded, but this was certainly better than the dangerous manual labor or total
abandonment that countless "intact" peasant boys faced in this time of depression. Even a boy of
noble birth, Farinelli for example, enjoyed a much better education than he would have
otherwise. And like Farinelli, many castrati had great influence and power outside the musical
realm. Countless opportunities were presented to these singers because of their almost god-like
status, opportunities that would have been unheard of otherwise.
Did these boys have normal lives outside of music? Certainly their lives were not typical.
But considering what normal life encompassed for the majority of these children, they seemed to
live a better existence, with a cosseted existence and phenomenal education that included many
studies other than vocal technique. Physical life was a bit different, but castration was not a
sentence of celibacy, and castrati were in great demand as lovers because of their inability to
procreate. Italians even invented a socially acceptable term for them called cicisbeo ("gallant
companion"), a gentleman with a relationship to a married woman in order to "enhance
marriage."
The psyche of these singers is difficult to determine, since only one autobiography exists.
Balatri's biting and humorous account describes an amazing life, filled with travel and intrigue.61
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/m1/64/: accessed May 12, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; .