Gaetano Berenstadt (7 June 1687 â€" buried 9 December 1734) was an
Italian alto castrato who is best remembered for his association with
the composer George Frideric Handel. Berenstadt created roles in three
of Handel's operas. Berenstadt's parents were German and his father
was timpanist to the Grand Duke of Tuscany. By the end of his
27-year-long career Berenstadt had sung in 55 dramatic works, 33 of
which were newly composed.Berenstadt was born in Florence. A pupil of
Francesco Pistocchi, after singing at Naples and Bologna, Berenstadt
visited London in 1717, where he performed the role of Argante in a
revival of Handel's Rinaldo. The original bass part, sung by Giuseppe
Maria Boschi, was transposed up for Berenstadt's alto voice and in
this revised version the character has three new arias composed for
Berenstadt to sing. After returning to Italy to sing at Rome and Milan
Berenstadt came back to London in 1722 to sing for the composers of
the Royal Academy of Music (1719). It was at this time that he created
the roles of Tolomeo in Handel's Giulio Cesare, the title role in
Flavio, and the role of Adelberto in Ottone. He also performed in
operas by Bononcini and Ariosti.Berenstadt left London in 1724 and
returned to Italy. In 1726 he began to sing music by well-known galant
composers at Rome and other Italian cities. He created roles in three
works by Leonardo Vinci and two in new compositions by Johann Adolph
Hasse. His final stage appearances were at Florence in 1734. He
published some music in his last years, during which he also suffered
from rheumatism. He died and was buried in Florence.42 of Berenstadt's
letters survive. They are mostly concerned with his love of obscure
books and fine arts: he was a frequent buyer and seller of both, and
compiled an extensive library that contained many incunabula. The
librettist and poet Apostolo Zeno described him as possessing "an
excellent knowledge of our best authors and superb taste in the realms
of Italian poetry and eloquence".
Italian alto castrato who is best remembered for his association with
the composer George Frideric Handel. Berenstadt created roles in three
of Handel's operas. Berenstadt's parents were German and his father
was timpanist to the Grand Duke of Tuscany. By the end of his
27-year-long career Berenstadt had sung in 55 dramatic works, 33 of
which were newly composed.Berenstadt was born in Florence. A pupil of
Francesco Pistocchi, after singing at Naples and Bologna, Berenstadt
visited London in 1717, where he performed the role of Argante in a
revival of Handel's Rinaldo. The original bass part, sung by Giuseppe
Maria Boschi, was transposed up for Berenstadt's alto voice and in
this revised version the character has three new arias composed for
Berenstadt to sing. After returning to Italy to sing at Rome and Milan
Berenstadt came back to London in 1722 to sing for the composers of
the Royal Academy of Music (1719). It was at this time that he created
the roles of Tolomeo in Handel's Giulio Cesare, the title role in
Flavio, and the role of Adelberto in Ottone. He also performed in
operas by Bononcini and Ariosti.Berenstadt left London in 1724 and
returned to Italy. In 1726 he began to sing music by well-known galant
composers at Rome and other Italian cities. He created roles in three
works by Leonardo Vinci and two in new compositions by Johann Adolph
Hasse. His final stage appearances were at Florence in 1734. He
published some music in his last years, during which he also suffered
from rheumatism. He died and was buried in Florence.42 of Berenstadt's
letters survive. They are mostly concerned with his love of obscure
books and fine arts: he was a frequent buyer and seller of both, and
compiled an extensive library that contained many incunabula. The
librettist and poet Apostolo Zeno described him as possessing "an
excellent knowledge of our best authors and superb taste in the realms
of Italian poetry and eloquence".
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