Jennine Hough, artist in aspen Colorado
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Jennine Hough, artist in aspen Colorado Jennine Hough Jennine Hough Jennine Hough, artist in aspen Colorado

Vivaldi's Virgins (continued)

Antonio Vivaldi, considered the most prolific composed of the 18th century,was born in Venice in 1678. His father was a barber but taught him to play the violin. In 1703 Vivaldi was ordained a priest, possibly against his will and for the purpose of obtaining an education. He resigned from the priesthood giving reasons of health, an asthmatic condition, that prevented him from delivering Mass although he remained a devout Catholic. He was hired at age 25 to compose, conduct, teach and purchase instruments for the Ospedale della Pietà and he worked there for most of 30 years. He took his breaks to travel and perform his operas all over Europe, taking some of his students from the Ospedale with him. He was a master violinist and his students were said to have played the difficult and flashy cadenzas that he wrote for himself.

His most well known student was the vocalist, Anna Giraud (Giró). She was a Venetian born singer, rumored to be the illegitimate daughter of a French wigmaker. She spent 14 years traveling with Vivaldi (and later her sister Paolina joining them as a nurse) all over Europe, performing in his operas. She is said to have had great acting abilities and was well respected. She performed with him until his death and lived 9 years longer.

Other girls of notice were Anna Maria, one of the best violinists in Europe who could play any other instrument just as well and Anna Bon and Vincenta Da Ponte who became composers.


I became interested in Vivaldi and the Ospedale della Pietà in the summer of 2008 when I read Vivaldi's Virgins by Barbara Quick. It is a novel based on the history of Vivaldi and his years with the Ospedale. During that summer I was painting the daughters of Botticelli (part of my large series of Daughters and Sons). I have always been such a fan of Vivaldi's. It was natural for me to include these girls in my series, as my Vivaldi's Virgins.

    — Jennine Hough



Sources of my information:

  • www.baroque-music.com/frames/info/brass.shtml#horn

  • www.enchantedbyjosephine.blogspot.com/2009/04/speaking-of-vivaldi.html

  • www.vamderbilt.edu/Blair/Course/MUSL243/bacvovwb.htm

  • www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ospedale della Pieta

  • Vivaldi, Voice of the Baroque, by H. C. Robbins Landon, The University of Chicago Press, 1993


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