# Are there any recordings of the Castrati? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 15, 2000, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-recordings-of-the-castrati/36969 "2000-10-15T04:45:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![AWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2000, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-recordings-of-the-castrati/36969/21 "2000-10-16T18:46:52Z")
Didn’t the Castrati record under the name “The Bee Gees” in the 1970’s? :D:D:D:D:D ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2000, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-recordings-of-the-castrati/36969/22 "2000-10-16T19:44:24Z")
On a testicularly-related note - I recall the scene in “The Last Emperor” when all of the court eunuchs are being dismissed from their positions. As they are leaving the Forbidden City they all are shown carrying little black boxes which contain, you guessed it, their jewels. I also seem to recall the castrati (aka The BeeGees) recording a song called “More Than a Woman.” It probably should have been called “More Like a Woman.” ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2000, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-recordings-of-the-castrati/36969/23 "2000-10-16T21:11:37Z")
Quoting from the excellent source you found, Satan: The “operation” involved drugging the boy with opium, immersing him in a warm bath until he became (hopefully) insensible; then the ducts leading to the testes were severed and that was it … if he recovered, and many did not; no aseptic procedures in those days. So, this thing I’ve heard about, er, bricks is just a very, very tacky UL, right? ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2000, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-recordings-of-the-castrati/36969/24 "2000-10-16T22:29:28Z")
There are PLENTY of recordings by a castrati: “Thriller” “Bad” “HIStory” etc. . . . . ---
**Author:** ![Dijon\_Warlock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a9a28c/32.png) [@Dijon\_Warlock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dijon_Warlock)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2000, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-recordings-of-the-castrati/36969/25 "2000-10-17T09:28:57Z")
Didn’t _anyone_ besides me have instant visions of that fat bald guy from “The Name of the Rose” (you know: the guy with the lovely manicure and the “unatural desires” for the cute younger monks)? Satan, you have succeeded in giving me what is certain to be months of nightmares with those soundclips. If you want thanks for that, then so be it dude. 🙂 Still, I won’t be sleeping well for a while. Yeesh! ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2000, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-recordings-of-the-castrati/36969/26 "2000-10-18T01:26:17Z")
How fantastically helpful of you! I have always wanted to know what a castrato sounds like, ever since I read Anne Rice’s novel “Cry to Heaven”, some 20 years ago. Now, thanks to you, the Straight Dope, and the Internet itself, my desire has been satisfied. Thank you. (The voive itself was something of a disappointment, however…just sounds like a chick or a black soul singer from around 1962) stoid ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2000, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-recordings-of-the-castrati/36969/27 "2000-10-18T01:59:54Z")
They sound like a group of 8 year olds…not THAT disturbing… Until you know what they were… ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2000, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-recordings-of-the-castrati/36969/28 "2000-10-18T02:01:17Z")
Actually, at the risk of being flamed, I have to say, the music sounded like a very pretty sounding children’s choir. REminds me of my childhood in the Catholic church during the Holidays. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-recordings-of-the-castrati/36969.md?page=1)