Francesco's Venice
Four-part BBC series following Francesco da Mosto as he explores the history of Venice, beginning with its creation in the 5th century and concluding in the modern era. Each episode focuses upon a certain area of Venetian history, interlaced with various anecdotes from da Mosto's own experiences and family history. A book of the same name was published to accompany the series in 2004.
Cast: Francesco da Mosto
Miniseries
4 episodes
- 1. BloodArising from a malaria-ridden swamp, Venice came to enjoy all the glory of a royal capital - without a resident monarchy. And one man, tortured and blinded by his enemies, would lead the city to a revenge so terrible it would go down in history as one of the worst crimes ever.CC59minOct 16, 2004
- 2. BeautyThe golden age of architecture arrived, and stone and marble palaces replaced wooden houses as artists like Titian and Palladio transformed the look and reputation of Venice. But a calamity lurked just around the corner - plague.CC1 h 0 minOct 23, 2004
- 3. SexBy the 18th century, there were two things on Venice's mind - art and sex. Casanova's A History of My Life detailed his erotic exploits, making him a celebrity overnight. And as sex tourists began using art as an excuse to visit Venice, Canaletto created views of the city that became the luxury postcards of the day. The climax of this pleasure seeking was the Carnival masked ball, when all barriers of class and wealth were broken down. But even as hedonism thrived, disaster was imminent.CC1 h 0 minOct 30, 2004
- 4. DeathSince Byron put the city on the tourist map, life has become increasingly hard for the Venetians. In the 1966 flood, Francesco da Mosto was a terrified child watching waters invade his home. Outrageous modernising ideas also threaten Venice: from bridges linking the city with mainland Italy to flattening churches and converting the Grand Canal into an eight-lane motorway.CC59minNov 6, 2004
Francesco's Venice
Four-part BBC series following Francesco da Mosto as he explores the history of Venice, beginning with its creation in the 5th century and concluding in the modern era. Each episode focuses upon a certain area of Venetian history, interlaced with various anecdotes from da Mosto's own experiences and family history. A book of the same name was published to accompany the series in 2004.
Creators and cast
- Directors
- Edward Bazalgette, Sam Hobkinson
- Created by
- Edward Bazalgette, Sam Hobkinson, Basil Comely
- Studio
- BBC
Maturity rating
Not yet rated.
Audio languages
English
Where to watch
Not currently listed on any streaming, rental or purchase service.