The Castrato is a nuanced exploration of why innumerable boys were castrated for singing between the mid-sixteenth & late-nineteenth centuries It shows that the entire foundation of Western classical singing culminating in bel canto was birthed from an unlikely & historically unique set of desires public & private aesthetic economic & political In Italy castration for singing was understood through the lens of Catholic blood sacrifice as expressed in idioms of offering & renunciation & paradoxically in satire verbal abuse & even the symbolism of the castrato's comic cousin Pulcinella Sacrifice in turn was inseparable from the system of patriarchy
- involving teachers patrons colleagues & relatives
- whereby castrated males were produced not as nonmen as often thought nowadays but as idealized males Yet what captivated audiences & composers
- from Cavalli & Pergolesi to Handel Mozart & Rossini
- were the extraordinary capacities of castrato voices a phenomenon ultimately unsettled by Enlightenment morality Although the castrati failed to survive their musicality & vocality have persisted long past their literal demise



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When Barry Fairbrother dies in his early forties the town of Pagford is left in shock Pagford is seemingly an English idyll with a cobbled market square & an ancient abbey but what lies behind the pretty facade is a town at war Rich at war with poor teenagers at war with their parents wives at war with their husbands teachers at war with their pupils Pagford is not what it first seems And the empty seat left by Barry on the parish council soon becomes the catalyst for the biggest war the town has yet seen Who will triumph in an election fraught with passion duplicity & unexpected revelations?A big novel about a small town The Casual Vacancy is JK Rowling's first novel for adults It is the work of a storyteller like no other ...

In the beginning God created man but seeing him so feeble He gave him the cat& Warren Eckstein Combining gorgeous & characterful photographs with witty & heart-warming"ations this enchanting celebration of our feline friends is a must-have for any cat lover ...

A cat lives in a house filled with toys but every day she dreams of being free like the bird she watches through the window Finally with the bird's help she is able to escape & dance on the roofs of the city by moonlight This lovely story unfolds in a series of playful brilliantly colourful illustrations based on the artist Paul Klee's work Influenced by the artist's bright palette & use of shapes & line the book culminates in a dazzling reproduction of Klee's Cat & Bird Accompanied by information about the artist & this iconic painting the book invites appreciation of the unfettered joyfulness that makes Klee one of the most universally loved artists of all time ...

Nick Sharratt's fabulously funny debut novel is now available in paperback THE CAT & THE KING tells the story of a gentle unworldly King & his very clever cat & is illustrated throughout in two colours with Nick's irresistible wit & humour The cat & the King must find a new home after their castle burns down in an Unfortunate Incident with a dragon They choose Number 37 Castle Close & the cat introduces the King to all sorts of new experiences from washing-up to shopping Then danger looms when the pesky fire-breathing dragon makes its return ...

The definitive visual guide to cats The Cat Encyclopedia is a comprehensive cat compendium that has all the facts about cats & kittens & is packed with beautifully photographed profiles of different breeds from the Maine Coon to the Khao Manee This extensive catalogue of cat breeds

Includes:: information on cat anatomy cat behaviour & kitten & cat care plus an authoritative care programme providing advice for every stage of your cat's life Learn how to understand your cat how to handle your cat the importance of play first aid tips & much more You'll also find fascinating facts about the celebration of cats in arts & culture & their place in magic & superstition Filled with beautiful images of cats The Cat Encyclopedia (content previously used in The Complete Cat Breed Book 9781409380634) is a stunning celebration of this ever popular pet & is perfect for cat lovers everywhere

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The meow-ment is here introducing The Cat Game – a hiss-terical drawing game for cat people (and regular people)! Play solo or divide into two teams & catfight your way to victory For individual play select a card from CATegories like f LICKS (movies) PURRsons & PURRfessions (famous people characters or job titles) or CAT-tivities (actions) Use the erasable drawing board to sketch out each clue – with one cat-veat you must use a cut-out of a furry feline in each drawing! The first player to guess five clues wins! For large groups the stakes are raised! Two teams simultaneously battle it out sketching cat-centric clues in a race to collect 20 points Only now players can claw back extra points by guessing the opposing teams clues as well! The fur may fly but fun will definitely be had once you get your paws on The Cat Game! ...

Lovely wooden reversible sign which reads the cat has been fed & the cat hasn&t been fed Great for any home ...

The one & only Cat in the Hat from the iconic Dr Seuss gets a brand new look introducing his roller-coaster ride of mayhem to a new generation of readers When Sally & her brother are left alone they think they're in for a dull day
- until the Cat in the Hat steps in on the mat bringing with him mayhem & madness! This is the classic book that every child should have the joy of reading The perfect book for early readers the new style brings a worldwide favourite to a whole new generation
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With his unique combination of hilarious stories & riotous rhymes Dr Seuss has been delighting young children & helping them learn to read for over fifty years Here are four of his classic favourites for the first time on CD read by the zany Adrian Admondson Ranked among the UK's top ten favourite children's authors Seuss is firmly established as a global best-seller The four classic favourites on this exclusive CD are The Cat in the Hat The Cat in the Hat Comes Back Green Eggs & Ham Fox in Socks Complete with WILD music & CRAZY sound effects! ...