Quote:
Originally Posted by TheAngryPostman
Creepy! But still, I think if all the American Idol contestants found out about this, there would be an influx of people at hospitals requesting castrations.
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The castrati were boys that had great voices
before the onset of puberty.
The castration was performed to prevent the voice change that usually comes with the onset of puberty. Sometime this didn't work and the promise of a great voice didn't pan out. The best ones were the toast of the opera world and commanded astronomical salaries. Sure, they were shunned by some narrow-minded bigots but we always have some of those around.
You have to keep in mind that the Italy of that period was a very religious country and many people felt that the castrati were the closest humans could come to emulating a heavenly choir of angels.