Castrati, male singers castrated shortly before puberty, dominated the church choirs and opera for nearly two hundred years through the Baroque and Rococo periods. The details of most orchiectomies are obscure, but resulted in prototypical rock stars, divas of international acclaim and extravagant appetites. Like their modern counterparts, castrati had their share of adoring fans and I intend to learn just how far the adoration went. A castrato could play both male and female roles; did this liminality extend beyond the stage? Was their condition a hindrance, a boon, or simply a difference to potential lovers? Through the analysis other historians have made of the artistic and erotic context of these men, as well as some contemporary resources
