Giuseppe Millico

Vito Giuseppe Millico, called "Il Moscovita"[1] (19 January 1737 – 2 October 1802),[2] was an Italian soprano castrato, composer, and music teacher of the 18th century who is best remembered for his performances in the operas of Christoph Willibald Gluck.

In 1769, Gluck adapted the role of Orpheus in his Orfeo ed Euridice for Millico to perform at Parma — the original role, composed for the alto castrato Gaetano Guadagni, was transposed up for Millico's soprano voice and the whole opera turned into an act of the celebratory work Le feste d'Apollo.

[4] After interpreting the role of Rinaldo in Antonio Sacchini's Armida, which was given at Milan's Teatro Regio Ducale during the 1772 Carnival season,[5] Millico decided to partner the composer in his moving to London, in order to serve as the "primo musico" (principal castrato) at the King's Theatre.

[6] He was also involved in a failed attempt to counteract "the progressive watering-down, pasticcio-fashion," of Gluck’s Orfeo which had been initiated in London in 1770 with the active participation of Guadagni.

[4] After performing at Venice, Florence, Rome and Milan, Millico returned to Naples in 1780, where he became highly popular as a composer and teacher.