In 18th century Venice, it was music rather than art that captured the public admiration. Concerts were performed in private homes,in churches, and in splendid public theaters. One of the most popular musical performances were those of the orphan girl choirs and orchestras.
These ensembles were famous for exceptional musical ability. The young musicians were even proudly displayed to important foreign dignitaries as a special feature of the Venetian Republic. Attending a concert at a girls' orphanage was considered an essential part of any visit to Venice.
Of course, in 18th century Venice, these were no ordinary orphan
girls whose parents had died. No, the girls who ended up in these
so-called orphanages were the illegitimate daughters of noblemen and
their mistresses. The wealthy fathers generous endowed the institutions and these girls enjoyed a fair amount of luxury as well as a fine education. Plus, if they were talented enough or beautiful enough, they had a good chance of finding a husband--unlike the unlucky extraneous legitimate daughters who often ended up in convents.
Any any rate, the girl choirs and orchestras were famous and immensely popular with the public. In addition to the lovely music, part of the draw was the girls themselves. In a decadent age of ostentation in dress and license in behavior (the was the age of masked balls, gambling, and courtesans), the young girls performed in modest robes, entirely without ornamentation, wearing flowers in their hair.
One commentator tells us that the girls, with their glorious music and pure voices, were "closer to angels than any creature on earth."
One of the best and most popular of these choirs was that of the Ospedale della Pieta. And no wonder--the choirmaster and violin teacher was Antonio Vivaldi.
He was awarded this prestigious position in 1703, shortly after he was ordained as a priest. Vivaldi immediately gave up his priestly duties--he had become a priest only because his mother made a vow when he was a sickly young boy--and he never functioned as a priest again. However, he did remain in Holy Orders for his whole life and was known as the "Red Priest" (for his red hair) throughout the musical community.
Vivaldi wrote many compositions for the girls to perform and his popularity soared. After they heard his music at the orphanage, distinguished visitors would often commission works for themselves. For a time, he was one of the most highly paid composers in Europe.
However, tastes changed and by the end of the 1730's Vivaldi's music was no longer in fashion. At the age of 62, he traveled to Vienna at the request of Emperor Charles VI with high hopes of a securing a steady income. But the Emperor died shortly after his arrival and Vivaldi himself died in 1741. He was buried in an unmarked pauper's grave.
Much of Vivaldi's music was lost for centuries and was only re-discovered and published in the 1950's. Today his music enjoys tremendous popularity.
When Time of Your Life Tours visits Venice in October 2008 on An Artful Tour of Florence & Venice , we'll hear Vivaldi's masterpiece,The Four Seasons, performed by an amazing ensemble of musicians in a beautiful and intimate former chapel. Our clients tell us it's one of their favorite parts of the tour. We hope you will join us.
