La Fenice

A story that benefits others, perhaps even in the distant future, is all her account should be, says Angela del Moro at the end. At twenty-three, she has experienced more than others do in double that age. By the age of sixteen, she has already achieved something as a courtesan, the only profession where she can earn money and lead an independent life. The downfall begins with a "no": she dares to send away a regular customer, and the rejected man's revenge is deadly. Others do not survive such a thing, but Angela refuses to be a victim. Her rise again is sensational. It can't just go well. Lea Singer narrates the historically documented experiences of a young woman, known as La Zaffetta, in Renaissance Venice, and reveals, almost incidentally, the abysses of the Serenissima during the time of Titian or Aretino. She speaks through the persona of a young woman who caused a scandal by claiming the right to live her desires. And who became a cult figure in one of the most famous paintings in the world: Titian's Venus of Urbino. Background material available for download.