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In the 16th century, the Vatican banned women from singing in church choirs. But because their high singing voices were still desirable, choirs across Italy started turning to castrati — boys who had been castrated before reaching puberty. Lacking testosterone, the castrati maintained their beautiful, high-pitched singing voices but also experienced many painful side effects, including unusual bone growth, osteoporosis, and depression. Some of the luckiest castrati were able to achieve fame and fortune due to their voices, but many more suffered in poverty and obscurity until they died. Discover the strange and tragic story of the castrati: https://inter.st/w6y8