Bach: "Ich habe genug" (BWV 82a) / Nancy Argenta

"there were women in opera houses like Cuzzoni."

Well ya. Never said that women were not allowed to sing in opera!

Okay. Yes, I just thought if women weren't allowed to perform in the Catholic Church, they wouldn't be allowed to perform all together! But now I get it.

Now, as for Bach, he was an orthodox Lutheran. The Lutherans also did not allow women to sing in church, although once again I don't remember when this was abolished. What most people don't know is that Bach's church cantatas were performed by male choirs (however I read from a concert program that "women also sang secretly for Bach, especially in solo passages" whatever that means).

Which wife are you talking about? Either way, they more than likely did not sang anything within the church.

I don't know when the Catholic Church abolished that rule, but it must have been in the 18th century because Mozart premiered his Great Mass (in which his wife Constanza performed the soprano solos) in the Church of St. Peter's Abbey.

The Catholic Church did not allow women to sing in church for a long time. That's why when Vivaldi's girls at the Ospedale performed in the church, they were behind metal grills. I also head that the balcony they performed on was not considered consecrated ground, however I can't confirm the truth of this.

"And I don't think the castrati were able to have sex after that "surgery", were they?"

Testicles have little to do with getting an erection. The castrati could have sex although they were infertile. Also, they had small genitals and weak sex drives. Farinelli, however, was loved by women all over Europe and not just for singing...

"How on earth did the people manage to remove the testicles successfully?"

They sliced'em off and hoped for the best. As with any laceration, it could become infected and they could die.

Remember also that farmers have been castrating lifestock since time immemorial.

I'm talking about Maria Barbara, because they started dating when Bach was organist in one of the churches of Arnstadt. Then the people in the church, for some reason, got angry that he was talking to this "female singer" who was Maria.

Also, I hope I don't sound stupid, but:

"Farinelli, however, was loved by women all over Europe and not just for singing..."

Are you telling me something about Farinelli being sexually appealing?...

Ladies didn't need to worry about becoming pregnant, not to mention Farinelli was the "rock star" of his day.

The answer to your first question is that they weren't always successful.  Sometimes the operation was a success but the patient died.