University hosts first UK recital by natural male soprano
Posted on 28 October 2008
Javier Medina has a voice considered to be very close to that of an 18th Century castrato. His remarkable ability is the result of a childhood illness related to leukaemia which left him with a ‘hybrid larynx’ similar to that possessed by the castrati of 200 years ago.
This is a unique opportunity to experience the kind of sound that hasn't been heard in this country since the mid-19th century
Dr John Potter
His performance at the University, on 31 October, will be accompanied by Peter Seymour and will feature repertoire associated with Farinelli, the 18th Century Italian soprano castrato singer, and Alessandro Moreschi, the last and only recorded castrato.
Dr John Potter, from the Department of Music, said: "This is a unique opportunity to experience the kind of sound that hasn't been heard in this country since the mid-19th century.
"Neither counter-tenor nor soprano, Javier Medina is one of a tiny handful of singers able to recapture the remarkable vocal feats of the castrato Farinelli and his contemporaries."
Javier Medina has researched the castrato phenomenon for 12 years, and this formed the basis of the Jorge Kuri play, Monsters and Prodigies: the History of the Castrati, written for him in 2000.
His performance comes in the wake of the BBC4 documentary, Castrato, earlier this year featuring the work of Professor David Howard, Head of the Audio Lab at the University’s Department of Electronics. Professor Howard successfully created an electronic replica of the distinctive sound of the castrati not heard since Moreschi’s death.
The recital by Javier Medina will be held at the Sir Jack Lyons Concert Hall, beginning at 5.30pm. Admission is free.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
- The University of York boasts one of the liveliest music departments in the country. It places a particularly strong emphasis on performance both in its teaching and through the extensive programme of recitals by staff, students and visiting musicians staged by the Department every year.
- More information on the University of York’s Department of Music is available at www.york.ac.uk/music.