Who was Agatha?

When the ACC premiered Agatha’s Cantata in 2022, very little was known about her life. But American musicologist, Vanessa Tonelli* had already been hard at work, examining and translating documents from the Venetian archives, and has recently published her findings.

Who was Agatha?

Orphan, singer, teacher, director, composer, manager – Agatha lived her entire life within the walls of the Venetian orphanage known as the Ospedale della Pietà.

Disability

Born on 24 March 1712, Agatha was missing the fingers of her left hand and six of her toes. Like many babies born with disability, she was given up to the Pietà, the only orphanage in Venice that accepted new born baby girls. She was anonymously “posted” through the scafetta, a revolving door so small that only a new born child could be left in this way. Her little frame, wrapped in red swaddling, was accompanied by a hand written note: “I beg you to safeguard this child and keep her close until such time … that she will be re-acknowledged.” The baby was given a name – Agata – and a number – P #2229 – and registered – her missing fingers and toes and the accompanying message noted. But no family member ever came back for Agatha.

Infancy

Baby Agatha would have been assigned to a wet nurse and would then have spent her infancy living with a foster family in or near Venice. Children who were not adopted by their foster families returned to the Pietà at about the age of nine, and slept two-to-a-bed until the age of 12.

Daily life at the Pietà

In 1723, when Agatha was 11, she officially commenced musical training as a member of the Coro, the all-women’s choir and orchestra of the institution, that had been made famous by Antonio Vivaldi. The Coro performed for the services in the Pietà’s small church, which was next door to the Ospedale. Most services were open to the public. Agatha’s daily routine would have included reading, arithmetic, singing practice, spinning, lace making, strict observance of the Divine Offices, quiet religious study and chores. High achievers in the Coro were sometimes relieved of certain chores.

Music lessons

There is no evidence that Agatha learned an instrument. Though many of her contemporaries learned several instruments, the abnormality of Agatha’s left-hand would have made the mastery of instruments impossible. She had one-on-one singing lessons with Apollonia, a member of the Coro, about 30 years old, who had grown up at the Pietà. From this time onwards, Agatha is referred to in the records as Agata Corista, or Agata Cantora, in English – Agatha Chorister, or Agatha Singer.

Recognition

By the age of 18, Agatha was recognised as an accomplished performer and soprano soloist. Her name appears (as was the practice at the Pietà) on the solo soprano manuscript parts in cantatas written for the Pietà by Andrea Bernasconi and Giovanni Porta. An anonymous sonnet of the 1730s mentions Agatha by name as a “well-known soprano soloist … a cantora considered second only to her teacher”.

By the 1740s, Agatha had also earned a reputation as a fine teacher. She taught several of the more talented orphans, as well as external students.

Promotion

In 1751, when her mentor and companion, Apollonia died, Agatha applied for the position left vacant, Maestra di Coro. In her application, Agatha mentioned that she had served the Coro since the age of 11, singing both in ensembles and as a soloist. She also mentioned that, while teaching the younger Coro members, she had, for at least ten years, practiced the art of counterpoint, as well as being responsible for the copying and distribution of music as needed. At the age of 39, as the new Maestra di Coro, Agatha became the assistant to the Maestro, who composed music for the Coro and directed it. She was responsible for the daily operations of the Coro, the copying and distribution of music, scheduling of rehearsals and, in the absence of the Maestro, the direction of rehearsals and performances. (The Maestro was only expected to be present at the Pietà for a few days a week). At the same time, Agatha was promoted to the status of privilegiata. This meant that she was free to come and go from the Pietà as she pleased, and that she was officially recognized as a teacher of students from outside the institution.

In 1763, also taking on the position of Scrivana (Scribe), Agatha became responsible for the overseeing of all official records of the Pietà. For this duty, she received additional oil and wood, which provided light and heat for evening work. Given the large number of duties now assigned to her, some evening work would have been essential!

In February 1769, at the age of 55, Agatha was promoted to the position of Priora, or Prioress. This was most likely a salaried position, overseeing all the activities within the Pietà. Agatha managed finances, inventoried supplies, assigned responsibilities, imposed discipline and approved the interactions of her wards with the outside community. She was answerable to the Pietà’s Congregazione, effectively a board of directors, who selected and voted on the Maestro di Coro position, as well as teaching and administrative appointments at the Pietà.

Death

Agatha died five months after her appointment as Priora, on 7 October 1769 at the age of 56. The cause of death was recorded as “fever and violent convulsions” brought on by an “apoplectic attack.”

Women composers at the Pietà

Although composition was not acknowledged, either as something that was taught or practiced by the women of the Pietà, several of its wards and a few of its paying external students were known to have composed. Of the orphans, as well as Agatha, Michielina and Santa are mentioned as composers; of the external students, Anna Bonn and Vincenta da Ponte.

Apart from the Ecce nunc, performed as part of the ACC’s Agatha in Vivaldi’s Venice program, manuscript fragments in the library of the Benedetto Marcello Conservatorium include three of Agatha’s solo motets. None of the other known compositions by orphans has been reconstructed or performed in modern times.

Make a tax deductable donation for the documentary

Agatha’s Story documents the discovery and reconstruction of Agatha’s Cantata and its performances by the Australian Chamber Choir. The story of the ACC and its concert tours of Europe is overlayed with the illustrated story of Agatha’s secret life at the Pietà. The documentary culminates in the European premiere of Agatha’s Cantata, sung by the ACC at Palazzo Pisani in Venice. We are grateful to all those who have contributed to the $90,000 raised so far. We now aim to raise $15,000 for the completion of the 50-minute documentary.

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