12 thoughts on “TBT: Farinelli (1994)

  1. What a pity! I was currently on a massive Haendel kick and I was considering watching it, but I think I shall pass on this one. But I have to ask if there is even the slightest mention to Farinelli’s time in Spain? He lived there for 25 years and his relationship with both Philip V (to whom he sang during his paroxysms of insanity) and Ferdinand VI (he even composed an aria for him) is quite fascinating

    1. So I checked and Philip does appear, but methinks it’s going to be short.
      (Also apologies for that bit of ableism which was due to a really por choice of words in translation. I’m still facepalming at myself)

      1. The film does deal a bit with his “retirement” to Spain. The last 30 minutes or so are at Phillip’s court, but it’s not really developed much. There’s a mention to Farinelli no longer performing for anyone but the King, but aside from that it’s not expounded upon.

  2. “Like a mediocre lover, it’s all hype and no substance.” If you’re going to compare the film to its lead character, you’re going to have to accept a certain letdown. What do you expect from a film about a castrati? Gushing ejaculations of costuming? HE DOESN”T HAVE THE EQUIPMENT!

    1. But in all seriousness, I really wanted this to be more like A Cry To Heaven, because DUDE. ALL THE SEX. WITH EVERYONE. IN FABULOUS COSTUMES.

      Then again, this was the early-90s. Even Interview With The Vampire got seriously scrubbed clean when it got to the screen. I wonder if it’s worth imagining what a film like Farinelli would be like now? Would it be more sanitized, or less?

      I’m going for less. In a post-“The Tudors” world, I’m saying we need an NC-17 rating AT LEAST to make it interesting to modern audiences. ;)

  3. I’m both a costume geek and a classical musician, and Farinelli was hugely disappointing on both fronts. The best thing in the film was the opera stage costumes; everything else was blah.

  4. The EXTRAVAGANT costumes of Farinelli were actually designed by creator FRANCOIS DINANT at URSUL PONEY the person in charge of the film costum had no ideas and not the skills so she came to visit him. he was a genius but not a business personn he draw all details in few minuts and gave heras she promised he will be part of the project and known as the designer.Unfortunately his name barely appears in the production but i got some of his designs so any one who want to contest is welcome. Frrinelli costume is all by him 100 per cent!

  5. Thank you for this essay! I saw this film recently. I think it is amazing, one of the best films I have ever seen. Farinelli’s character by Stefano Dionisi is alike what I have read: distant but polite. According to BBC documentaries, castratos did have a difficult and unpredictable personality. And low sex drive. I think that is included to the film in a delicate way. I work in the field of fashion + sometimes costumes and I really liked the costumes of the film. I prefer colour blocking more than details, and I really enjoyed the colour palette. I understood that it was the director’s decision that the actors could have their natural hair and modern day movement. The London theater scene is filmed on location in Bayreuth Germany but unfortunately that authentic Margravial Opera House and UNESCO World Heritage spot is closed for the restoration.

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