The Operatic "Angelic Voices" Forged Through a Brutal Practice

The practice of castration to preserve a boy's treble voice dates back to the late 16th century in Italy, peaking in the 17th and 18th centuries. Castrati possessed an enormous lung capacity and an adult male's musculature, allowing them to produce incredibly powerful, agile, and sustained high notes that no intact male or female could match. They were highly celebrated, earning immense fame and wealth, yet the procedure was immensely risky and often performed under dubious circumstances. The last known castrato, Alessandro Moreschi, died in 1922, leaving behind the only known recordings of a castrato voice.