Excellent introduction into a subject not only about music, but about the often deadly practice of castrating young boys in the hope that some of them might energe as glorious song birds in the future.

A book I read some years ago, that was very well researched and written without prurience, is Anne Rice's "Cry to Heaven." It is about the castrati, how they were acquired, by whom and why..This book is fictionalized history, but very well done and a captivating read.
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One thing that should be clarified is that the procedure wasn't castration as most people today probably understand it. Nothing was removed. It was a matter of cutting ducts to block the supply of testosterone.

No less an outrage, but less "vivid" a mental picture than castration implies.

itochka:

One thing that should be clarified is that the procedure wasn't castration as most people today probably understand it. Nothing was removed. It was a matter of cutting ducts to block the supply of testosterone.

No less an outrage, but less "vivid" a mental picture than castration implies.

I didn't realize that. That seems like some impressive urological surgery for the 17th c.

For all the hand-wringing, what a cruel title for this piece, and excepting the few blessed with beautiful voices, Nature had nothing to do with it.

"Cry to Heaven" is an excellent novel and quite accurate. I find the comparison in the article of Michael Jackson rather interesting, as for years I have believed that he is indeed the last castrato.

KB01:

itochka:

One thing that should be clarified is that the procedure wasn't castration as most people today probably understand it. Nothing was removed. It was a matter of cutting ducts to block the supply of testosterone.

No less an outrage, but less "vivid" a mental picture than castration implies.

I didn't realize that. That seems like some impressive urological surgery for the 17th c.

My thoughts as well. Could find no support for or against this claim. Perhaps the Slate author can clarify about the procedure itself? I always assumed it was excision.

From what I've read, itochka is correct. I believe the boy would've been mildly anesthetized with laudenum and alcohol and the ducts severed through a pretty small incision.

As to the "impressive urological surgery", well, I'm sure they had a level of surgical complications -- including infection, disfigurement, and death -- that would horrify us (that's if we weren't already horrified enough!). For that matter, pretty much all 18th-century surgery would've had a terrible rate of complications. As the article says, history only remembers those castrati who were a) survivors of the surgery, and b) successful professional musicians.

In addition to Cry to Heaven, there is the movie Farinelli (from '94 or '95, I believe). The movie, as far as I know, did not play in theaters in the hinterlands, so I watched it on VHS. I'm not sure if it's available on DVD or not. I thought it captured some of what must have been the "hothouse atmosphere" of early to mid-18th century opera. Opinions will vary on the way the voices were "created," but it is an attempt. I also found the costuming and the staging of the opera scenes evocative of that era and laudably consistent with contemporary accounts.

You're describing 'a kinder gentler way' to achieve castration of the castrati. Maybe many were more fortunate to have those ducts cut, but:
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"Effect of castration on the male voice

Removal of the testes results in the absence of male-type growth of the larynx. In the only recorded post-mortem examination of a castrato the dimensions of the larynx were strikingly small, with the vocal cords the length of a female high soprano. However, in a castrato somatic growth continued unhindered, resulting in a voice very different from that of the prepubertal boy. Although there was the high pitch of the child, soprano, or contralto, it was associated with fully grown resonating chambers provided by the pharynx and oral cavity as well as an adult thoracic capacity, made even more effective by intensive voice training. Yet although the pitch may have been similar to that of a female, the timbre of the voice was different. A contemporary critic described the castrato sound as being "as clear and penetrating as that of choirboys but a great deal louder
with something dry and sour about it yet brilliant, light, full of impact"
And:
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Anne Rice's book goes into details about the ways in which the castration was effected. No doubt surgeons differed in their techniques. Lucky would be the castrati who had simply had his ducts cut..a bit like modern sterilization for the male that redirects the sperm ..I wonder how many castrati simply had their testosterone blocked off!
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In a time when music had to be live and heard in certain venues, it was incredibly special..more than hothouse..Opera was the Event..the singers as adulated as today's Rock Stars..no less the castrati! I'll keep an eye out for the Farinelli. Here is a page from youtube with some selections:
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I thought the same thing as far as the Michael Jackson thing! Maybe that was the "abuse" he was referring to. It would explain a lot.

Did he actually father any of his kids? I am not trying to be mean, I am serious.

advocate..
I don't think so..Among male high tenors and sopranos don't forget the 'Counter Tenors,' or even Roy Orbison who was known for his remarkable vocal range..and was married and had children. A quote:

"Orbison was a natural baritone, but since 1961 writers have speculated that he had a three or four-octave range.The combination of Orbison's powerful, impassioned voice, and the complex musical arrangements in his songs led many in rock and roll to refer to his music as operatic, calling him the "Caruso of Rock".

Here is a page from youtube about the castrati:
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Some info about recordings made to simulate the great castratos of the past. This deals with the film made about Farinelli, reputed to have had the greatest castrato voice ever:
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