Naples, known as "Castrapolis" in Dominique Fernandez's 1974 novel, was famous for its high concentration of castrato sopranos in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Historical Context
Naples was a renowned musical center in the 17th and 18th centuries, with four conservatories that trained hundreds of celebrated composers, instrumentalists, and virtuoso singers.
Historical Context
Neapolitan conservatories, originally orphanages, trained castrati through a cruel operation to preserve their treble voices, cultivating them into singers of outstanding quality like Farinelli.
Recording & Production
The ensemble Dolci Affetti was formed to explore Neapolitan music from the Naples Conservatory library, which became accessible after more than 250 years of silence.
Performer Biography
Dan Laurin, the recorder player and director, has released over thirty critically acclaimed BIS recordings and received the Swedish Grammis award for best classical album twice.
Cultural Impact
The city of Naples is uniquely associated with a musical myth: the siren Parthenope, whose body washed ashore there after Ulysses survived her song.
Performer Biography
Nicolò Balducci, a counter-tenor, has won first prize at the Niccolò Piccinni Competition and the prize for youngest finalist at Voci Olimpiche.
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