Countertenor

The countertenor is a male singer whose voice reaches into the high register more commonly associated with female opera singers, producing a sound at once familiar and otherworldly. In Countertenor (Farrar, Straus and Giroux), acclaimed opera singer Anthony Roth Costanzo explores the history and enduring fascination of this voice type. He traces its roots in the castrati during the Baroque period all the way to the countertenors who perform today. Through a blend of personal memoir and art history, Costanzo reflects on his career as a performer and producer and ultimately offers a lively portrait of an art form in constant reinvention.