Giovanni Carestini

Giovanni Carestini ( born December 13, 1700 in Monte Filottrano, today Filottrano at Ancona, † 1760 ) was an Italian castrato who appeared in stage works of George Frideric Handel, Johann Adolph Hasse and Christoph Willibald Gluck.

Career

After Frédéric Delamea Giovanni Maria Bernadino Carestini was born on December 13, 1700 in Monte Filottrano, today Filottrano near Ancona. Other sources mention only a 1705 year of birth. Carestinis career began in 1719 sponsored by the Cardinal Agostino Cusani ( 1655-1730 ) in Milan. That's why he was nicknamed Il Cusanino. He made his debut in the 1720 carnival publicly on stage at the Teatro Regio Ducal. 1721 he sang for Alessandro Scarlatti in Rome. Engagements followed in 1723 at the Viennese court in the Imperial Chapel, 1724 in Venice, Parma 1726 and 1728 in Naples, among other operas by Hasse, Vinci and Porpora. About Piacenza in 1730, Alessandria 1730, Munich 1731, Venice and Milan, he arrived in 1733 to London, where he sang on the stage of Haymarktes for Handel. Carestini replaced for Handel the castrato Farinelli and Senesino especially, who had fallen out with Handel and switched to the rival company in Covent Garden.

For Handel Carestini sang the leading roles in Arianna in Creta, Ariodante, and Alcina. He also appeared in the oratorios Deborah, Esther and Athalie. As 1735 in Naples, he received a higher salary than his opponent Caffarelli. Since the London season of 1740 was unlucky Carestini returned the beginning of the 1740s - years back to Italy. In Milan he joined in 1743 Gluck Demofoonte on. In 1744 he was engaged at the Viennese court. From 1747-49 he sang for Hasse in Dresden. Then he moved to Venice in 1749 to Berlin in 1750. St. Petersburg followed the debate of 1754-56. The idea Carestinis in Naples fell through in 1758. Carestinis voice was consumed and no longer met the fashion. Carestini turned pathetic from the stage from and returned to his birthplace, where he died two years later.

Voice and reputation

The range of the voice Carestinis changed in the course of his career. He began as a " mighty and pure soprano " to later becoming the " fullest, deepest and finest countertenor who was perhaps ever hear " ( according to Burney ). Carestini stood by the critics of his time in high regard. Hasse noted that " those who have not heard Carestini, did not come into contact with the consummate vocal style ." Quantz described Carestini: " ... a strong and full soprano voice, which was transformed after the time in one of the most beautiful and strongest Contralt .... He had a great skill in Passagien ... His action was very good, and as his singing fiery, in conformity with the rules of the school Bernacchis and manner of singing of Farinelli ". He was also renowned as a performer and for his good looks. As a sign of importance for the history of opera, the young French countertenor Philippe Jaroussky Carestini has devoted an entire CD 2007, containing only specially written for Carestini arias. A CD of arias of Handel for Carestini has also recorded the mezzo-soprano Vesselina Kasarova 2008.

Credentials

  • Riding, Alan ( April 13, 2006 ). In Opera, a Different Kind of Less Is More: 'Trade and the Castrati '. New York Times, available here.
  • Frédéric Delamea, July 2007

Recordings

  • Philippe Jaroussky: The Story of a Castrato - Carestini, Le Concert d' Astrée, Emmanuelle Haim, Virgin Classics 2007
  • Kasarova, Vesselina, Sento brillar, Il complesso barocco, Alan Curtis, RCA Red Seal 2008
  • Opera singer
  • Castrato
  • Historical person (Italy )
  • Born in 1700
  • Died in 1760
  • Man
Leonardo Vinci Athalia (Handel) Caffarelli (castrato) Charles Burney Johann Joachim Quantz Antonio Bernacchi Integrated Authority File
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