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FARINELLI (1705–1782)

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Originally appearing in Volume V10, Page 179 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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FARINELLI (1705–1782) , whose real name was CARLO BROSCHI, one of the most extraordinary singers that ever lived, was See also:born on the 24th of See also:January 1705, at See also:Naples. He was the See also:nephew of Cristiano Farinelli, the composer and violinist, whose name he took. Having been prepared for the career of a See also:soprano, he soon acquired, under the instruction of N. A. See also:Porpora, a See also:voice of marvellous beauty, and became famous throughout See also:southern See also:Italy as it ragazzo (the boy). In 1722 he made his first See also:appearance at See also:Rome in his See also:master's Eumene, creating the greatest See also:enthusiasm by surpassing a popular See also:German trumpetplayeF, for whom Porpora had written an obligato to one of the boy's songs, in holding and swelling a See also:note of prodigious length, purity and See also:power, and in the See also:variations, roulades and trills which he introduced into the See also:air. In 1724 he appeared at See also:Vienna, and at See also:Venice in the following See also:year, returning to Naples shortly afterwards. He sang at See also:Milan in 1726, and at See also:Bologna in 1727, where he first met and acknowledged himself vanquished by the See also:singer See also:Antonio Bernacchi (b. 1700), to whose instruction he was much indebted. With ever-increasing success and fame Farinelli appeared in nearly all the See also:great cities of Italy; andreturned a third See also:time to Vienna in 1731. He now modified his See also:style, it is said on the See also:advice of See also:Charles VI., from See also:mere bravura of the Porpora school to one of pathos and simplicity. He visited See also:London in 1734, arriving in time to lend his powerful support to the See also:faction which in opposition to See also:Handel had set up a See also:rival See also:opera with Porpora as composer and Senesino as See also:principal singer.

But not even his aid could make the under-taking successful. His first appearance at the See also:

Lincoln's See also:Inn See also:Fields See also:theatre was in Artaserse, much of the See also:music of which was by his See also:brother, Riccardo Broschi. His success was instantaneous, and the See also:prince of See also:Wales and the See also:court loaded him with favours and presents. Having spent three years in See also:England, Farinelli set out for See also:Spain, staying a few months on the way in See also:France, where he sang before See also:Louis XV. In Spain, where he had only meant to stay a few months, he ended by passing nearly twenty-five years. His voice, employed by the See also:queen to cure See also:Philip V. of his See also:melancholy madness, acquired for him an See also:influence with that prince which gave him eventually the power, if not the name, of See also:prime See also:minister. This power he was See also:wise and modest enough to use discreetly. For ten years, See also:night after night, he had to sing to the See also:king the same six songs, and never anything else. Under See also:Ferdinand VI. he held a similar position, and was decorated (1750) with the See also:cross of Calatrava. He utilized his ascendancy over this king by persuading him to establish an See also:Italian opera. After the See also:accession of Charles III. Farinelli retired with the See also:fortune he had amassed to Bologna, and spent the See also:remainder of his days there in melancholy splendour, dying on the 15th of See also:July 1782.

His voice was of large See also:

compass, possessing seven or eight notes more than those of See also:ordinary singers, See also:anti was sonorous, equal and clear; he also possessed a great knowledge of music.

End of Article: FARINELLI (1705–1782)

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