Resumen de Voices, bodies, identities: the modern imagery of castratos in contemporary performance
Several choices of recording industry and current productions of sixteenth- or seventeenth-century opera, contributes to the creation of a singer's image that, through countertenors or women in male roles, substituting castratos voices, forces the boundaries of gender and identity. This article deals with three directions: Giasone by Cavalli/Clément, Rinaldo by Händel/Alden; the Proud Prisoner by Pergolesi/Brockhaus. Although different for themes, dramatic structure, composition background and direction choices, these works depict some common features which contributes to the creation of a peculiar image of 'modern castratos'.
