Atto Melani Opera singer-castrato, spy, diplomat Date of Birth: 30.03.1626 Country: Italy

Biography of Atto Melani

Atto Melani was an Italian opera singer, castrato, spy, and diplomat. He was born in Pistoia, Italy, as the third of seven children of a local bell ringer. At a young age, Atto and his three brothers and two cousins were castrated, as was customary during that time. Soon after the castration, Melani began his vocal training to master the secrets of singing.

Two of Atto's brothers, Alessandro and Jacopo, became renowned composers. Melani quickly gained a patron, nobleman Mattias de' Medici, whose precise relationship with Atto remains unknown. However, there are indications that Melani was a lover of Mattias. It is also known that Atto attempted to improve his social status through an intrigue with Duke Carlo II of Mantua, although there is no direct evidence of this in Melani's letters. There are, however, several indirect testimonies suggesting that the duke and the singer "shared" the same page boy from the Innsbruck court.

Regardless, Atto Melani quickly gained fame. Wild rumors circulated about him, such as his unique voice being a result of a snake bite. One of his most famous roles was that of Orpheus in Luigi Rossi's opera, first performed in 1647. Melani soon entered the court of the French King Louis XIV as a gift from the Medici family to the opera-loving Queen Anne.

In France, Melani tried his hand at espionage, introduced to the world of palace and international intrigues by Cardinal Mazarin. It became evident that Atto was as skilled at spying as he was at singing. His concert tours throughout Europe afforded him the opportunity to gather secrets and transmit confidential messages. In 1657, Mazarin sent Melani to Bavaria to convince the Elector Ferdinand, an old ally of France, to declare his desire for the position of Holy Roman Emperor. Although the cardinal's plan ultimately failed, Mazarin once again witnessed the diplomatic talents of his protégé.

The death of Cardinal Mazarin greatly affected Melani's status, and his association with the treasurer Nicolas Fouquet exacerbated the situation. After Fouquet's arrest, certain suspicions fell upon Atto. Initially, Louis XIV did not want to believe in Melani's guilt, but it later became known that Atto had been copying letters sent to him by the king for Fouquet. The singer was exiled from the kingdom. Melani returned to Rome, where he found employment with Cardinal Giulio Rospigliosi, who would later become Pope Clement IX. Even outside of France, Atto maintained a good relationship with Mazarin's niece, Maria Mancini, with whom he corresponded for about 40 years.

After Giulio Rospigliosi became Pope, Atto's fortunes improved significantly. Louis XIV allowed Melani to return to France and even honored him with the title of abbot. In 1668, Melani performed for the last time in his life at Palazzo Colonna. From then on, Atto devoted himself entirely to politics and diplomacy. He wrote several books and frequently provided advice to the French king and acted as a mediator in negotiations with German princes and Italian rulers. Atto Melani passed away in Paris in 1714 at the age of 88.