I am wondering about castrati in 17th and 18th centuries and the possible role they played for female desire. I understand that the most famous of them were opera stars and people adored them for more than their ethereal voices. There seemed to be a clear sexual undertone to their popularity (correct me if I'm wrong). Now, I understand that men might have liked them sexually, but what about women?

Were castrati really popular with women and if yes, how was this perceived? Were castrati seen as "harmless" in a sexual sense because of their castration? Or, on the contrary, were they seen as dangerous because those sexual encounters were made for pleasure and not procreation (the fear of female sexuality?) Do we even have any sources discussing these things?