The Castrati

Their Lives, Their Music, Their Legacy in Opera’s Golden Age

By: Richard Fleischman

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

The Castrati: Their Lives, Their Music, Their Legacy in Opera’s Golden Age

(Rediscovering Classical Music)

For over two centuries, they were the superstars of the opera world—revered, envied, and worshipped like demigods. With voices that defied nature, soaring effortlessly from haunting whispers to dazzling virtuosity, the castrati became the most celebrated and controversial figures in music history. Yet today, their names are barely remembered, their once-glorious voices lost to time.

In The Castrati, renowned performer and music historian RIchard Fleischman pulls back the curtain on these extraordinary singers—men who sacrificed everything for the sake of art. From the gilded opera houses of 18th-century Europe, where they commanded fame, fortune, and adoration, to the hidden realities behind their training and the complex lives they led, this book explores both the dazzling triumphs and the stark human cost of their existence.

Through vivid storytelling, firsthand historical accounts, and a deep understanding of baroque music, this book transports readers to an era when opera was at its most extravagant—when composers like Handel and Vivaldi wrote masterpieces for these otherworldly voices, and when the castrati held sway over kings, composers, and audiences alike. But as musical tastes changed and their era faded, these once-revered artists fell into obscurity, their legacy buried beneath myth and misconception.

Who were the castrati, truly? How did they captivate the world—and why were they ultimately forgotten?

Blending historical insight with the passion of a musician who has performed baroque opera alongside today’s early music specialists, The Castrati resurrects these vanished voices and reclaims their place in the story of classical music.

Perfect for lovers of opera, history, and untold musical legends, this book is an essential addition to the Rediscovering Classical Music series.