The Sad Tale Of The Castrated Singing Boys
Each boy had to pay the ultimate sacrifice in exchange for a high-pitched voice
In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, young soprano male singers were castrated so that they could sing in the Italian church choirs. The process of castration which happened in Europe and some major parts of Italy, was done to improve the vocal development of the boys involved.
Castration was usually done before the boys reached the age of puberty, preferably age nine. After the operation, they were able to retain high notes when singing.
Each boy was then referred to as a “castrato" and in groups, they were called the “castrati".
Training to become a castrato was quite intense and it was a process that lasted for about ten years. Though castration was no guarantee for a successful singing career or a high-pitched voice, many families took the risk of involving their sons. They made their talented singing male children observe this brutal practice because it was perceived as an instant route to stardom.
For many years, the castrati dominated the opera with their spectacular voices.
Background
The history of castrati started in 1588 and can be traced to the ban by Pope Sixtus…
