Harcourt Publishers

Imagine being born with a great talent for singing, only to be told that because you are female, you can never sing in public....

Imagine that if you broke the law and performed before an audience, you could be sent to a convent where you would be put to work tending the sick, and where you would most likely die yourself....

Imagine having a mother who wished to marry you off to a rich nobleman who could pay the highest price for your voice, while you carried on a secret relationship with a French sculptor....

Imagine having a famous Queen invite you to live in her palace and sing for her, a Queen who wished to use your talent to challenge the Pope’s laws....

Imagine having to choose between your family and your own dreams....

Such was the fate of seventeen-year-old Angelica Voglia.

One girl’s story can reveal a whole world, and Angelica’s story reveals much about Rome during the seventeenth century. Based on a little-known but true story, Angelica’s life reveals the pain and joy of a young woman willing to sacrifice everything to follow her passions and live out her dreams.