Vitaliano "Vito" Bernabei is one of the few real norcini there left in this decaying, morally dubious country we call Italy. A norcino is, literally, someone from Norcia in central Italy. Norcia, known for its pig-rearing, gained a reputation between the twelfth and seventeenth centuries for having the best butchers in Italy.
But these weren't just any butchers: in late medieval times, norcini were actually considered just shy of surgeons. They were even allowed to practice simple surgery on humans, like removing small tumors or cataracts—and, should children prove able to sing well, said children's testicles, in order to guarantee them a long, rewarding career in "bel canto."
Source: http://luckypeach.com/
