For a solid portion of musical history, castrato singers or ‘castrati’ had a prominent role in operas, churches and courts across Europe. But why were young boys forced to undergo the gruesome ...

The Trials of Tenducci was the colourful title of the Irish Baroque Orchestra's concert at the National Gallery on Friday. Peter Whelan conducted, and mezzo-soprano Tara Erraught sang in an unbroken ...

Simply sign up to the Life & Arts myFT Digest -- delivered directly to your inbox. To many modern listeners, the idea of castrated male singers singing soprano roles in 17th- and 18th-century operas, ...

THEY were described as perfect singing machines. Now the body of Farinelli, the most famous castrato opera singer, is to be exhumed to learn how he achieved such dulcet tones. “Farinelli was more ...

To celebrate the launch of New Scientist‘s latest book, Farmer Buckley’s Exploding Trousers, we’ve asked its editor, Stephanie Pain, to select four of her favourite blasts from the past, together with ...