castrati
Surgically made sopranos
Castrati is the plural of castrato, a male singer castrated before puberty to preserve his soprano or alto vocal range into adulthood.
The practice flourished in Italian opera from the 17th through early 19th centuries, producing singers prized for their powerful, high voices and exceptional breath control.
The term now appears mainly in historical discussions of Baroque and Classical music: The castrati were the superstars of their era.
Highest female voice range
- altoLower female voice
- mezzo-sopranoMedium female singing voice
- falsettoArtificially elevated singing register
- coloraturaElaborate vocal ornamentation
tessitura · vibrato · melisma · passaggio · register · range · timbre · purity
Surgical testicle extraction
- prepubescentBefore sexual maturation
- hormonalRelating to body's chemical messengers
- androgenMale sex hormone
- larynxSpeech-producing throat organ
puberty · physiology · rib cage · lung capacity · vocal cords · physical · consequences · ethics
Baroque composer of oratorios
- VivaldiBaroque composer from Venice
- harpsichordPlucked-string keyboard instrument
- ornamentationDecorative additions to something
- counterpointSimultaneous independent melodies
Scarlatti · Monteverdi · cantata · oratorio · concerto · sonata · fugue · polyphony
Organized group of singers
mass · motet · requiem · psalm · hymn · liturgical · prohibition · women
of the pontiff
- Sistine ChapelVatican worship hall
- VaticanPapal city-state
- patronageSupporter's financial backing
- NaplesMediterranean port city
Italian · eighteenth-century · fame · celebrity · wealth · touring · decline · prohibition
Operatic solo piece
- recitativeSpeechlike operatic singing
- librettoOpera's written words
- divaCelebrated female vocalist
- stageRaised performance platform
costume · role · overture · ensemble · premiere · performance · theatricality · acclaim
soprano
Highest female voice range
- altoLower female voice
- mezzo-sopranoMedium female singing voice
- falsettoArtificially elevated singing register
coloratura · tessitura · vibrato · melisma · passaggio · register · range · timbre · purity · brilliance
orchiectomy
Surgical testicle extraction
- prepubescentBefore sexual maturation
- hormonalRelating to body's chemical messengers
- androgenMale sex hormone
larynx · puberty · physiology · rib cage · lung capacity · vocal cords · physical · consequences · ethics · exploitation
Handel
Baroque composer of oratorios
- VivaldiBaroque composer from Venice
- harpsichordPlucked-string keyboard instrument
- ornamentationDecorative additions to something
Scarlatti · Monteverdi · counterpoint · cantata · oratorio · concerto · sonata · fugue · polyphony · toccata
choir
Organized group of singers
Vatican · mass · motet · requiem · psalm · hymn · liturgical · prohibition · women · church
papal
of the pontiff
- Sistine ChapelVatican worship hall
- VaticanPapal city-state
- patronageSupporter's financial backing
Naples · Italian · eighteenth-century · fame · celebrity · wealth · touring · decline · prohibition
aria
Operatic solo piece
- recitativeSpeechlike operatic singing
- librettoOpera's written words
- divaCelebrated female vocalist
stage · costume · role · overture · ensemble · premiere · performance · theatricality · acclaim · stardom
- castration anxietyDread of losing male organs
- chemical castrationHormone therapy eliminating fertility
castrate, castration, castrated, castrato, castrating, uncastrated