Farinelli*

While researching and reading about the famous castrati singer Farinelli, i was very shocked and intrigued at the same time with how the "castrating" started and for what reasons. When i first heard of the disease I thought it was something that only occurred in a womans body because of the word "menopausal". Carlos Farinelli was castrated while he was a young man due to the purpose of the opera. I believe that around the 1700s the opera was a very important part of people's cultures and the citizens did not know what kind of medical risks they would put their performers under to keep the Opera alive and going. Not only did Farinelli sing, but he also wrote songs and played many different instruments. While reading about Farinelli it reminded me of the Greek Theatre and how women weren't allowed to act or sing in theaters or plays just because they weren't allowed to so men would have to dress up as women and wear masks if they were playing a role of a woman. They would also hire young men to sing and play roles of women before they hit puberty because of their voices they were similar to those of womens. In my opinion what they used to do to young men in the 1700s was very wrong and against any human right possible. The post menopausal disease effected him badly and killed him.