# Baroque Arias for Castrato



## JSBach85 (Feb 18, 2017)

A castrato is a type of classical male singing voice equivalent to that of a soprano, mezzo-soprano, or contralto. The voice is produced by castration of the singer before puberty, or it occurs in one who, due to an endocrinological condition, never reaches sexual maturity.

Italian castrato and opera singers were popular in Baroque opera and they took part in many operas composed by Handel, Porpora, Vinci, Hasse, Caldara, etc. Among the famous castrato singers in 18th century, we have arias of: Francesco Bernardi "Senesino" (1686-1758), Giovanni Carestini "Cusanino" (c. 1704-c. 1760), Gaetano Majorano ("Caffarelli") (1710-1783), Carlo Broschi "Farinelli" (1705-1782), Gaetano Guadagni (1725-1792).

For castrato arias I rather prefer male countertenor voice over female soprano but I also like some female singers such as Simone Kermes and Cecilia Bartoli. Let's enjoy some of the best arias composed for castrato:

*Leonardo Vinci (1690 - 1730)*. Opera *Semiramide Riconosciuta*

Arias for Caffarelli

Dramma per musica in tre atti.

Aria: In braccio a mille furie

Franco Fagioli, Countertenor

Il Pomo d'Oro
Riccardo Minasi
[on period instruments]


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

The duet with Sesto and Cornelia in "Giulio Cesare". Simply gorgeous.


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