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Abstract
Luigi Marchesis career as one of the last operatic castrati spanned thirty years from the early 1770s until 1805. During his lifetime Marchesi achieved an international reputation, traveling as far from Italy as St. Petersburg, Vienna, London, and Munich while creating roles in operas by Domenico Cimarosa, Luigi Cherubini, Giuseppe Sarti, Francesco Bianchi, and many others. Known for his powerful voice, extensive range, and unparalleled powers of variation and improvisation, Marchesi enjoyed tremendous celebrity. This study includes a thorough biography of Marchesi created with information from libretto catalogs, correspondence, and memoirs, as well as a vocal analysis drawn from audience commentary, reviews, and two elaborately ornamented and rare musical examples.