thebaldian
Alessandro Moresschi was the last castrati in western music.
Alessandro Moresschi was born in 1958 in Rome. 12 years later, the Italian army took power away from the Church and outlawed castration. It was too late for Alessandro.
Until the 20th century, the Church forbade women to sing in churches. The castrati stood in for women's voice in choirs.
Confronted with serious problems (there were hardly any castrati teachers left for him), in 1883 he joined the Vatican's Sistine Chapel as a soloist.
In 1898, at the age of 40, he was named director of the choir, a post he kept until he retired in 1913.
He died in 1922. Lonely and forgotten.
Even so, we still have his voice. In fact, in 1902, 17 pieces were recorded with his voice and the choir. Although the sound quality is poor, it's the only chance we have to listen to a castrati.
Alessandro Moresschi was born in 1958 in Rome. 12 years later, the Italian army took power away from the Church and outlawed castration. It was too late for Alessandro.
Until the 20th century, the Church forbade women to sing in churches. The castrati stood in for women's voice in choirs.
Confronted with serious problems (there were hardly any castrati teachers left for him), in 1883 he joined the Vatican's Sistine Chapel as a soloist.
In 1898, at the age of 40, he was named director of the choir, a post he kept until he retired in 1913.
He died in 1922. Lonely and forgotten.
Even so, we still have his voice. In fact, in 1902, 17 pieces were recorded with his voice and the choir. Although the sound quality is poor, it's the only chance we have to listen to a castrati.
