Domenico Salvatori

Who was Domenico Salvatori?

Domenico Salvatori along with Alessandro Moreschi, Domenico Mustafà and Giovanni Cesari, was one of the famous castrati singers of the late 19th century.

Born at Anagni, he first started as a contralto at the Cappella Giulia which he later abandoned in order to enter as a now soprano to the Cappella Sistina. He later became secretary of the Capella for some years, holding his position as a secretary also under the direction of Perosi. A good friend of Alessandro Moreschi, together they often used to visit their contemporary Domenico Mustafà in his retirement. Salvatori died in Rome. He recorded, along with Giovanni Cesari, a few phonograph recordings together with Alessandro Moreschi; but these were only pure choral pieces, and none of them were solo. It is, however, possible that the contralto voice audible in a SATB quartet recording of Palestrina's "La cruda mia nemica" is Salvatori's.