FARINELLI

born Jan. 24, 1705, Andria, Kingdom of Naples died July 15, 1782, Bologna original name Carlo Broschi celebrated Italian castrato singer of the 18th century and one of the greatest singers in the history of opera. He adopted the surname of his benefactors, the brothers Farina. He studied in Naples under Nicola Porpora, one of the leading 18th-century opera composers and the outstanding voice teacher of the century. At 16 he made his debut at Rome in Porpora's Eomene. Later he sang in Porpora's Angelico e Medoro, with a text by the famed librettist Pietro Metastasio, with whom Farinelli formed a close friendship. Farinelli's reputation spread throughout Italy and to Vienna and London, and he was admired for his pure, powerful voice, his technical proficiency, his skill in florid embellishment, and his musical expression. In Venice he was associated with the noted opera composer Johann Adolf Hasse. In 1734 he joined Porpora in London, appearing in his operas and, with the castrato Senesino, in Hasse's opera Artaserse. In 1737 Farinelli went to Spain, where his singing alleviated the deep-seated melancholia of Philip V; nightly for 10 years he sang the same four songs to Philip. He stayed in Spain until 1759, achieving distinction as an impresario and also taking an active part in public affairs. Though dismissed from his post at court by Charles III for political differences, he had accumulated great wealth and spent the rest of his life peacefully in Italy.