Tosi, Pier Francesco
(1653–1732)
PIER FRANCESCO TOSITOSI, PIER FRANCESCOPIER FRANCESCO TOSI [* ca. 1653-† 1732] The renowned and well-travelled castrato Pier Francesco Tosi addressed the bel canto style of singing in his Opinioni de' cantori antichi, e moderni [1723]. At the time newer trends which embraced allegro arias and more virtuosic embellishment were beginning to take hold, putting into question the integrity of cantabile singing. Tosi's work attacks these tendencies for their reliance upon instrumental idioms and for…