Musico Explained

The Italian term musico (: musici) has a number of meanings:

• Originally, the term referred to any trained, as opposed to amateur, musician.
• In the 18th century, the polite term was used for the voice-type known today as castrato, which was considered a derogatory term at the time.^{[1] [2]} The leading castrato in a company was referred to as a primo musico. A diminutive form (musichetto) was also occasionally used.
• In the 19th century, after the disappearance of castrati from opera, the term referred to a female singer, usually a contralto, who performed male leads in travesti.^[3]

See also

• Tenore contraltino

Notes and References

1. [New Grove Dictionary of Opera]
2. Warrack, John and West, Ewan (1992), The Oxford Dictionary of Opera, 782 pages,
3. Warrack, John and West, Ewan (1992) op. cit.