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Franco Fagioli, countertenor
Orchestre de l’Opéra Royal de Versailles
Stefan Plewniak, conductor 

The Last Castrato: Giovanni Battista Velluti
The golden age of castrati, custodians of flawless singing technique and unmatched virtuosity, came to an end in the late eighteenth century. The last great castrato was Giovanni Battista Velluti (1780-1861), for whom composers such as Gioachino Rossini, Giacomo Meyerbeer, Francesco Morlacchi, and Giuseppe Nicolini wrote their most successful operas. With the richness of his embellishments and the expressive power of his singing, Velluti left an indelible mark on the opera seria of the early nineteenth century; all the composers who wrote for his voice were profoundly influenced by him. This project will include some of the greatest scores written by the aforementioned composers, for Velluti. 

Rossini: Sinfonia from Tancredi
Bonfichi: “Qual mi circonda e agghiaccia … Dolenti e care immagini … Vedrai  quest’anima,” Attila
Nicolini: “Ah se mi lasci o cara,” Traiano in Dacia
Zingarelli: Sinfonia from Giulietta e Romeo
Nicolini: “Ecco o numi … Ah quando cesserà … Lo sdegno io non pavento,” Carlo Magno
Rode: Concerto No. 1 in D minor for Violin, III. Polonaise
Mercadante: “Dove m’aggiro … Era felice un di … Sì bel contento in giubilo,” Andronico
Rossini: Sinfonia from Aureliano in Palmira
Rossini: “Dolci silvestri orrori … Ah! Che sento … Non lasciarmi in tal momento,” Aureliano in Palmira