Life in Shades of F-Major: Michael Maniaci, Adult Male Soprano

Michael Maniaci, Adult Male Soprano

>> Monday, January 4, 2010

This is absolutely amazing - an adult male soprano singing the Alleluja from Mozart's motet, Exultate Jubilate which was composed for the castrato Venanzio Rauzzini! Maniaci is not a counter tenor but an actual adult male soprano. How can this be? When he entered puberty although his body grew and developed normally, his vocal cords did not, only lengthening and thickening partially, thus leaving him with a natural male soprano voice. This is about as close to a castrato as we will ever hear in the 21st century and what a thrill it is to get to hear this motet sung by a voice that is so close to the way Rauzzini's voice would have sounded!

3 comments:

Kathy Handyside January 4, 2010 at 11:55 AM: That's amazing, simply amazing!
Lynette January 5, 2010 at 9:28 AM: Isn't it, though? I sat and listened to it several times, just so that I could get the sound in my head. This is what Rauzzini sounded like when he sang this piece! What made it even more fascinating for me is the fact that Rauzzini was Nancy Storace's voice teacher for several years.
Donald "The Otter" Moore May 6, 2010 at 1:31 AM: I can't even begin to describe how surprised I am. When I was younger I sang in a church choir with Michael in Cincinnati (I was only 10 at the time and I believe he was still in school at the Conservatory at the time.) We even had an album that we sold and he provided his magnificent voice for it. I've always been fascinated by his voice and I'm so happy to see him successful and living his dream. Well done Michael!