available in print & Kindle editions from Amazon
reviewed by Arthur Powers
1721. Mantua. Fourteen year old Annina Giró’s talent for singing is recognized by the Duke of Massa Carrara, who offers to sponsor her studies. Leaving her family, she goes to Venice, hoping to study with Antonio Vivaldi—priest and composer—called the “red priest” because of the color of his hair.
In Venice, Annina stays in a boarding house for female singers run by the well-named Signora Malvolia. The house and its head mistress are dominated by the beautiful Chiara Orlandi—opera star and the Duke’s current mistress. Chiara senses a rival—Annina is far prettier than she herself realizes—and sets out to thwart Annina in any way possible.
Vivaldi is away in Rome, so Annina begins studies with the recently widowed and deeply depressed Tomaso Albioni. Albioni finds Annina’s singing far too emotional for the style of the time, and she wilts under his sarcasm—aided and abetted by Chiara’s taunts. After a few desperate months, Vivaldi returns to Venice. Will Annina find a way to contact him?
This is a good story. Ms. Kelly—who is music director in a South Carolina parish, teaches at a local university, and did her master’s thesis on Vivaldi—knows her stuff. Her writing brings to life Vivaldi and his times—having always enjoyed Vivaldi, I admit that I enjoy and understand him more deeply since reading her book. And Ms. Kelly respects Vivaldi’s priesthood and the value of celibacy.
If the story has one flaw, it is that Annina falls a little too often into Chiara’s traps. One wants to say (as my wife did)—“Wake up, kid!” One can account for this—just barely—on the basis of Annina’s youth and Chiara’s charm.
But the book is worth reading. Indeed—a sequel is out and I intend to get a copy. The story is also appropriate for young readers, as long as they are mature enough to understand that Dukes may have mistresses.
Paperback: 245 pages
Publisher: Bel Canto Press (2009)
ISBN 978-0-578-02565-0
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