Farinelli (Italian pronunciation: [fariˈnÉ›lË i]; 24 January 1705 â€"
16 September 1782)[a] was the stage name of Carlo Maria Michelangelo
Nicola Broschi (pronounced [ˈkarlo ˈbrÉ"ski]), a celebrated Italian
castrato singer of the 18th century and one of the greatest singers in
the history of opera. Farinelli has been described as having soprano
vocal range and sang the highest note customary at the time,
C6.Broschi was born in Andria (in what is now Apulia, Italy) into a
family of musicians. As recorded in the baptismal register of the
church of S. Nicola in Andria, his father Salvatore was a composer and
maestro di cappella of the city's cathedral, and his mother, Caterina
Barrese, a citizen of Naples. The Duke of Andria, Fabrizio Carafa, a
member of the House of Carafa, one of the most prestigious families of
the Neapolitan nobility, honored Maestro Broschi by taking a leading
part in the baptism of his second son, who was baptised Carlo Maria
Michelangelo Nicola. [In later life, Farinelli wrote: "Il Duca
d'Andria mi tenne al fonte." ("The Duke of Andria held me at the
font.")]. In 1706 Salvatore also took up the non-musical post of
governor of the town of Maratea (on the western coast of what is now
Basilicata), and in 1709 that of Terlizzi (some twenty miles
south-east of Andria). Unlike many castrati, who came from poor
families, Farinelli was well-to-do, and was related to minor nobility
on both sides of the family.From 1707, the Broschi family lived in the
coastal city of Barletta, a few miles from Andria, but at the end of
1711, they made the much longer move to the capital city of Naples,
where, in 1712 Carlo's elder brother Riccardo was enrolled at the
Conservatory of S. Maria di Loreto, specialising in composition. Carlo
had already shown talent as a boy singer, and was now introduced to
the most famous singing-teacher in Naples, Nicola Porpora. Already a
successful opera composer, in 1715 Porpora was appointed maestro at
the Conservatory of S. Onofrio, where his pupils included such
well-known castrati as Giuseppe Appiani, Felice Salimbeni and Gaetano
Majorano (known as Caffarelli), as well as distinguished female
singers such as Regina Mingotti and Vittoria Tesi; Farinelli may well
have studied with him privately.
16 September 1782)[a] was the stage name of Carlo Maria Michelangelo
Nicola Broschi (pronounced [ˈkarlo ˈbrÉ"ski]), a celebrated Italian
castrato singer of the 18th century and one of the greatest singers in
the history of opera. Farinelli has been described as having soprano
vocal range and sang the highest note customary at the time,
C6.Broschi was born in Andria (in what is now Apulia, Italy) into a
family of musicians. As recorded in the baptismal register of the
church of S. Nicola in Andria, his father Salvatore was a composer and
maestro di cappella of the city's cathedral, and his mother, Caterina
Barrese, a citizen of Naples. The Duke of Andria, Fabrizio Carafa, a
member of the House of Carafa, one of the most prestigious families of
the Neapolitan nobility, honored Maestro Broschi by taking a leading
part in the baptism of his second son, who was baptised Carlo Maria
Michelangelo Nicola. [In later life, Farinelli wrote: "Il Duca
d'Andria mi tenne al fonte." ("The Duke of Andria held me at the
font.")]. In 1706 Salvatore also took up the non-musical post of
governor of the town of Maratea (on the western coast of what is now
Basilicata), and in 1709 that of Terlizzi (some twenty miles
south-east of Andria). Unlike many castrati, who came from poor
families, Farinelli was well-to-do, and was related to minor nobility
on both sides of the family.From 1707, the Broschi family lived in the
coastal city of Barletta, a few miles from Andria, but at the end of
1711, they made the much longer move to the capital city of Naples,
where, in 1712 Carlo's elder brother Riccardo was enrolled at the
Conservatory of S. Maria di Loreto, specialising in composition. Carlo
had already shown talent as a boy singer, and was now introduced to
the most famous singing-teacher in Naples, Nicola Porpora. Already a
successful opera composer, in 1715 Porpora was appointed maestro at
the Conservatory of S. Onofrio, where his pupils included such
well-known castrati as Giuseppe Appiani, Felice Salimbeni and Gaetano
Majorano (known as Caffarelli), as well as distinguished female
singers such as Regina Mingotti and Vittoria Tesi; Farinelli may well
have studied with him privately.
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