Crime writer Michael Dibdin uses fact and his fictional character, Venetian detective Aurelio Zen, on a journey to unravel the past, the present and the future of the most beautiful opera house in Europe, La Fenice. The neo-classical theatre was destroyed when a fire swept through the building in 1996. As dawn broke over the charred remains, rumours began to circulate: was it arson or was it just an accident? The theatre where Verdi's Rigoletto and La Traviata were first performed was loved the world over by musicians, celebrities and tourists. And they all came forward to pledge money and support for its reconstruction. But today, La Fenice is still a building site and the company is performing operas in a large tent.