Caffarelli (born Gaetano Majorana) was, with Farinelli, the most famous castrato in operatic history. His vocal and interpretative brilliance – and his mercurial temperament – fascinated the audiences of his time: For each of his musical triumphs there was a story of artistic rivalries and eccentric escapades. Over his sometimes stormy career he amassed a fortune and was honoured with the title of Duke of San Dorato.
Caffarelli created roles in Handel’s Serse et Faramondo and it was for him that the composer wrote Serse’s celebrated aria ‘Ombra mai fu’.
Franco Fagioli, one of today’s best-known countertenors, evokes the musical world of Caffarelli with the young and dynamic orchestra Il Pomo D’Oro under its director Maxim Emelyanychev.
