The Last of the Aldinis

The famed Venetian singer, Lelio, recounts to young friends the extraordinary story of his life and loves: his start as an impoverished gondolier for the Aldini family, his first impossible love for his mistress Bianca, his leaving her for the life of the stage, his incredible success under an assumed name, and, finally, his mature love for her daughter Alezia, the last of the Aldinis, many years later. Even this is fraught with danger - her savage suitor for one. But what will happen if Alezia discovers his true identity? First published in French in 1839.