Editing Eunuch (section)

==Castrato singers==
{{Main|Castrato}}
Eunuchs castrated before [[puberty]] were also valued and trained in several cultures for their exceptional voices, which retained a childlike and other-worldly flexibility and treble pitch (a high-pitched voice). Such eunuchs were known as [[Castrato|castrati]].

As women were sometimes forbidden to sing in Church, their place was taken by castrati. Castrati became very popular in 18th century [[opera seria]]. The practice, known as ''castratism'', remained popular until the 18th century and was known into the 19th century. The last famous Italian castrato, [[Giovanni Battista Velluti]], died in 1861. The sole existing sound recording of a castrato singer documents the voice of [[Alessandro Moreschi]], the last eunuch in the [[Sistine Chapel Choir]], who died in 1922.

This Italian practice of castrating young males to maintain their soprano voices was ended by Pope [[Leo XIII]] (1878).<ref>Encyclopædia Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/topic/eunuch</ref>