Caffarelli - castrato at the age of ten!

[ardcarp]

The 18th-century singer Caffarelli expressed a wish to be castrated when he was just ten years old - already wanting a career in music. He flourished into one of Europe's finest singers, and enjoyed great fame - and notoriety - for almost forty years, amassing a great fortune along the way.

Many composers of the day created roles for him in their productions, including Handel, Porpora, Hasse, Pergolesi and Gluck.

Lucie Skeaping explores Caffarelli's extraordinary life and career with music from recordings by Franco Fagioli, Max Emmanuel Cencic, Andreas Scholl and Simone Kermes, among others.

[oddoneout]

Lots of music and no "news" slot, hurrah. I assume that as it was a repeat it predates that tiresome gimmick. So nice not to have to suddenly reach for the remote control and then second guess when to turn the sound on again. I don't think I can have heard the original broadcast as it didn't sound familiar, so even better.

[ardcarp]

Rather extraordinary that the musical examples played featutred male 'sopranos' who were (presumably) not castrati!
The programme emphasised (if emphasis were necessary) the fame and wealth of talented operatic singers in that era.

Lots of music and no "news" slot, hurrah.