IL CASTRATO DEL GRANDUCA
Arias for Gaetano Berenstadt

1 George Frideric Handel: Rinaldo – Aria: Sorte amor vuol che quest’alma
2 George Frideric Handel: Rinaldo – Aria: Ogni tua bella stilla
3 George Frideric Handel: Rinaldo – Aria: Pregio è sol d’un alma forte
4 Attilio Ariosti: Tito Manlio – Ouverture
5 Antonio Lotti: Ascanio – Aria: L’incauto che non teme
6 Francesco Gasparini: Astianatte – Aria: Vezzosetta tra questi fiori
7 Giovanni Maria Capelli: Giulio Flavio Crispo – Aria: Piaccia agl’astri ed al senato
8 George Frideric Handel: Ottone – Ouverture
9 George Frideric Handel: Ottone – Aria: Bel labro formato per farmi beato
10 Attilio Ariosti: Cajo Marzio Coriolano – Aria: Nel tuo figlio e nel tuo sposo
11 Giovanni Bononcini: Farnace – Aria: O della sorte favor instabile
12 Johann Adolf Hasse: Astarto – Ouverture
13 Johann Adolf Hasse: Astarto – Aria: Al fato io t’abbandono
14 Leonardo Vinci: Didone abbandonata – Aria: Tra lo splendor del trono
15 Domenico Sarro: Siroe re di Persia – Aria: Gelido in ogni vena
16 Giovanni Antonio Giay: Demetrio – Aria: Non fidi al mar che freme

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About this album

Like all castrati, Gaetano Berenstadt’s hormones had gone crazy, but Berenstadt’s were particularly strong: with a height of about 185 cm, he is said to have had 130 cm long legs, arms that were far too short and a corpulent belly. A field day for the caricaturists. But when he stood on the opera stage and sang, he was idolised. Berenstadt, born in Florence in 1687 and lifelong loyal to his patrons, the Medici, at the same time Grand Dukes of Tuscany, experienced his artistic career in the first third of the 18th century. He sang at all the important opera houses in Italy and for some years in London. The most famous composers of his time such as Ariosti, Bononcini, Gasparini, Hasse, Sarro and Vinci appreciated him for his vocal and acting abilities. Handel in particular was a great admirer of Berenstadt; in addition to several roles in world premieres, he even wrote new arias for him for the London revival of Rinaldo in 1717. Filippo Mineccia, also from Florence and one of the leading countertenors of our day, follows in the musical footsteps of his Florentine predecessor and draws an impressive portrait of Berenstadt’s career on this recording.