castrato

The castrato was a type of male singer in the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries who went through a surgical procedure, known as castration, to eliminate certain physical characteristics that were believed to be necessary for achieving exceptionally high singing voices in the soprano or alto vocal ranges.

The practice of castrating young boys to create singing voices began in the 17th century in Italy, particularly in the region of Emilia-Romagna, where Catholic priests would select and educate promising young voices. The goal of this procedure was to prevent the boys from developing a deep voice and to allow them to sing in the soprano range. These operations were performed before the boys reached puberty, as adult male voices had not yet developed.

Castrati developed the reputation for being incredibly talented singers, capable of producing complex and emotionally powerful performances. They often specialized in roles that required agile voices, such as the soprano part in Handel's operas. They were often celebrated for their technical skill and expressive abilities, with many achieving fame and fortune throughout Europe.

However, the practice of castrating boys to create singing voices started to decline in the 19th century, partly due to increasing moral and ethical concerns over the procedure. The Vatican also prohibited the practice in the 19th century. As the art of opera evolved, the demand for castrato voices decreased, and by the early 20th century, they had largely disappeared from the musical scene.