BetterMost Community Blogs > Shakestheground's Rumblings
Thoughts for the day
Shakesthecoffecan:
Here is what purports to be the only recording of a castrato, recorded at the Sistine Chapel in 1902. His name was Alessandro Moreschi. He lived 1858-1922 and was apparently castrated close to birth: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alessandro_Moreschi
[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wv-S3uoeTXg[/youtube]
Jeff Wrangler:
--- Quote from: southendmd on March 04, 2008, 03:53:06 pm ---You mean Farinelli. I never saw it either.
--- End quote ---
Yes, that's it. Thanks, Paul.
We used to have a guy in our church choir who could sing countertenor. He was amazing.
injest:
--- Quote from: Jeff Wrangler on March 04, 2008, 03:00:36 pm ---Thanks, Jess, that does sound like an interesting story. Wouldn't be the first novel I've read with a castrated central character, either. That would be Mary Renault's The Persian Boy.
I take it he's castrated so he can't have any offspring to inherit?
--- End quote ---
partly, His brother didn't want to KILL him for fear of how his mother would react (she was not the mother of the older brother). The boy, Tonio, liked to wander the streets at night with his friends singing and was very good....so the brother hatched this idea that he could have the boy castrated and tell the mother that Tonio did it to himself to keep his voice from changing...that Tonio dreamed of being a singer (which of course was not true) Tonio was too old to be castrated and was very traumatized....but he had no choice and dealt with things as best he could.
(I LOVE Bagoas from The Persian Boy....but Tonio is not like Bagoas at all...Tonio is a warrior at heart)
Jeff Wrangler:
--- Quote from: injest on March 04, 2008, 07:32:39 pm ---partly, His brother didn't want to KILL him for fear of how his mother would react (she was not the mother of the older brother). The boy, Tonio, liked to wander the streets at night with his friends singing and was very good....so the brother hatched this idea that he could have the boy castrated and tell the mother that Tonio did it to himself to keep his voice from changing...that Tonio dreamed of being a singer (which of course was not true) Tonio was too old to be castrated and was very traumatized....but he had no choice and dealt with things as best he could.
(I LOVE Bagoas from The Persian Boy....but Tonio is not like Bagoas at all...Tonio is a warrior at heart)
--- End quote ---
Thanks, Jess. Oooo, Tonio. That's a hot name. ... ;D
injest:
--- Quote from: Jeff Wrangler on March 04, 2008, 07:46:21 pm ---Thanks, Jess. Oooo, Tonio. That's a hot name. ... ;D
--- End quote ---
well it was very readable...not like some of her books lately... :P
and yes, Tonio got his self around once he got into the swing of things.....Domenique, the Bishop, a dark eyed man in the back streets of Rome,
and of course his teacher and lover, Guido...
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