Forget Van Gogh; he only lost an ear. It was the great castrato Farinelli who made the ultimate sacrifice for art. He wasn't the only one, but he was the most famous.Carlo Broschi was a man who really suffered for his music. Known to the world as the great opera singer Farinelli (1705-1782), he was castrated as a young boy to prevent his exquisite singing voice from ever breaking. But before you start feeling too sorry for the songsmith, it’s worth bearing in mind that Farinelli was showered with wealth and adulation throughout his career. And even with a couple of pieces missing from his repertoire, he still managed to make beautiful music with the ladies.
How fair is it to castrate a young boy? Even if he thinks he understands what that's all about, he doesn't know because he is not yet a man. I'm glad they don't do this anymore.
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