In Reply to: Close encounters of the fourth kind: Male-Castratto choir... posted by mutant on November 26, 2002 at 17:58:21:
Hi-Choir, I think not. Castrati were soloists. The last one was Moreschi, and Boris Goldovsky, whom I knew, when I was young and he was old, had heard him. Said Mr. Goldovsky (who with his mother walked out of Russia to Berlin after the October Revolution): "He sounded like a chicken."
Castration was usually involuntary. The earlier posts about making a decision were pretty off base as far as my long-ago studies indicate.
And let us not pat ourselves on the back too hard. Cassius Clay is a functional vegetable, yet his daughter to great media attention wishes to follow his example. Justify that.
Or even soccer players who die early deaths from years of heading practice. Lyle Azedo and countless American football players, the list goes on. Look around 360 degrees before we put ourselves on a higher moral plane than Roman Emperors.
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Follow Ups
- Choir: I think not - John Marks 20:12:07 11/27/02 (5)
- Wait! I didn't know Lyle Azedo was.... - john purys 20:30:45 12/06/02 (0)
- "...on a higher moral plane...." - mutant 08:17:57 11/28/02 (2)
- Interesting note... If you pursue this, let us know. nt - clarkjohnsen 07:25:33 11/29/02 (1)
- Of course... - mutant 09:10:02 11/29/02 (0)
- add to the list - Bruce from DC 21:44:16 11/27/02 (0)