Orchestration ... or castration? The controversial decision to uncover the remains of the famous 18th-century castrato Farinelli in Bologna may or may not prove insightful for music historians ... while an exhibition on castrati in London illuminates this exclusive profession for the wider public.(FRONTLINE)(Biography)

From: History Today | Date: September 1, 2006 | Copyright information

ON JULY 12TH THIS YEAR, the remains of the legendary castrato Farinelli (Carlo Broschi 1705-82) were disinterred in La Certosa, the main cemetery in Bologna, Italy. In moderate condition, Farinelli's remains were reported at first sight as confirming that the singer had been a tall, sturdy man. The bones of the great castrato are to be examined further to discover more about the physical shape of the castrati, their lifestyles and the changes brought about by a combination of the o...

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New on Video
The Washington Post ; FARINELLI R, 1994, in French with English subtitles, 110 minutes, Columbia/TriStar Home Video, $96.98. Because Carlo Broschi, the 18th-century castrato singer known as Farinelli, was such an exotic and sensationalistic figure, you'd think that creating a dull movie out of his flamboyant life would
Beautiful castrato movie missing something
The Boston Globe ; FARINELLI Directed by: Gerard Corbiau Screenplay by: Gerard and Andree Corbiau Starring: Stefano Dionisi, Enrico Lo Verso, Jeroen Krabbe At: Harvard Square, Nickelodeon Rated: R (depiction of adult themes and sexuality) Gerard Corbiau's "Farinelli" is a gorgeous disappointment. If it had merely
The Arts: A cut above the rest Portraying the greatest castrato ever on film is one thing. Doing so live on stage is quite another - even with the help of Richard O'Brien. By Michael Church
The Independent - London ; Castrati were poor boys brutally doctored to give pleasure to the rich: it would be perverse to regret their passing. Yet the frisson they provided must have been infinitely greater than that of mere cross-dressing, more akin to kabuki in present-day Japan than to boys playing girls in Shakespeare.
`Farinelli' Is Incomplete
Chicago Sun-Times ; FARINELLI (STAR) (STAR) Farinelli; Carlo Broschi Stefano Dionisi Riccardo Broschi Enrico Lo Verso Alexandra Elso Zylberstein Margaret Hunter Caroline Cellier Directed by Gerard Corbiau. Produced by Vera Belmont, Linda Gutenberg, Aldo Lado, Dominique Janne and Stephane Thenoz. Written by Andree
`Farinelli': A Bit Off Pitch
The Washington Post ; "FARINELLI" REACHES rather too grandiosely for the high notes of life. On the literal level, the Belgian movie is about the piercing falsetto tones of its eponymous castrato, who once wowed the 18th- century court of Spain and all of Europe. As the Italian singer (played by Stefano Dionisi) soars