Vivaldi...an old favorite

One of the best known baroque composers is the Venetian, Antonio Vivaldi. The Four Seasons violin concerto is maybe the most familiar piece. But he was prolific not only in secular instrumental music, but sacred music and operas as well. As with most musicians throughout history, making a living was not always easy. He trained first as a priest, but gave that up rather quickly. When he was 23 he was appointed "maestro di violino" at Pio Ospedale della Pieta, an institution which cared for orphaned girls. It was a better job than it sounds; the concerts there were major social events in the city. And soon he was composing for the girls he trained to play. His employment there continued sporadically for decades. They would get annoyed with all his travel, fire him, commission pieces, hire him back, etc... He traveled more as he composed more operas and wanted to be in on the production of them. Strangely, his operas have not remained popular. Maybe A-Zed needs to look into doing one!

A very enjoyable book that is set in the Ospedale while Vivaldi was there is " Vivaldi's Virgins" by Barbara Quick. As it happens, she lives in Rohnert Park and has contributed a signed copy of her book to the silent auction at the concert tomorrow!
Yes! Tomorrow is the "V" concert. A benefit for Cinnabar Theater, and an extravaganza of cellists! A flock of cellists? A society of cellists? A crowd of cellists? A rowdy noisy bunch! That's it!