Men with exceptional qualities that for the time were seen as admirable men, and in other aspects as phenomenal men. They were the stars of the moment who filled benches and benches to be seen, there were few who had such talent. These became more famous in the baroque era, many people did not know the tragic payment that they had to pay to be in the number one position.
In order to obtain the voice they wished they had to undergo an operation in the amputation of the testicles, in order that they could not produce male sex hormones, responsible for the vocal mute that is operated in adolescence. Therefore, the intervention used to be performed between 8 and 12 years of age.
"The castration was not of the entire genital area but only of the testicles."
The results of this operation is that the males obtained an affinity voice record. The castration of human beings was never formally allowed, but it was tolerated and was generally masked with alleged accidents or diseases that justified it. With the end of the Baroque and the incorporation of women to the music scene, the castrati voices disappeared from the stage, although they continued to live in the ecclesiastical choirs until well into the 19th century. Alessandro Moreschi, the last known castrato died in 1922. Here you can hear what his voice was like.
Now in the 21st century and this is not used, this role has been taken by the countertenors, who have developed in a natural way over the years, without resorting to such cavernicolas practices.