Giovanni Velluti (castrato)

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Giambattista Velluti.

Giovanni Battista Velluti, colloquially "Giambattista" (January 28, 1780–January 22, 1861) was an Italian castrato. He is also considered "last of the great castrati" and had a reputation of being something of a diva, with some singers refusing to appear with him.

Born in Montolmo, Italy, a local doctor castrated him at the age of eight as treatment for a cough and high fever. Velluti's father, who had planned on a military career for his son, enrolled him in musical training.

He became close friends with Luigi Cardinal Chiaramonte, the man who would become Pope Pius VII, after singing a cantata sometime in his teenage years. In 1800, he made his debut at Forlì.

Velluti was renowned for both his voice and his prodigious sexual escapades. Apparently many husbands could not believe that their wives were engaging in such affairs as they didn't understand that his genitalia still functioned.

His final performance was in Meyerbeer's Il crociato in Egitto in London beginning in 1825. The crowds reacted poorly to his initial performances as he was the first castrato to appear in London in 25 years, but drew crowds until the end of his career in 1829. He became an agriculturist and died in 1861.