Santa Maria Della Pietà – Antonio Vivaldi’s Church and Concert Hall
A well-known church, the Church of Santa Maria Della Pietà or Della Visitation, is situated on the "Riva Degli Schiavoni" in the Castello neighborhood of Venice, not far from the Doge's Palace and the San Zaccaria waterbus stop. It is known as "Vivaldi's church" in Venetian.
Its forerunner was affiliated with a public charity hospital for orphan girls established in 1346 by a Franciscan friar, but it evolved into something more secular as it came under the Doge's patronage in 1353 and was maintained by affluent families. In 1388, the structure was expanded, and in 1493 and 1515, it was modernized. Vivaldi, who served as the school's chorus master and violin instructor from 1704 to 1738 and wrote some of his best concertos for its students, helped the institution grow over the years into one of Europe's top conservatories. The Mendicanti, Incurabili, and Ospedaletto were the other Ospedali.
Santa Maria Della Pietà was first rebuilt in 1727 using money from a three-year lottery approved by the Council of Ten, and then again in 1733 after the first effort fell short of its goal. Giorgio Massari, an architect, was chosen in a competitive offer in 1735 to design and construct a new complex with two hospital wings. The new church intended to serve as both an auditorium and a place of worship. By 1738, land clearing had started, and supplies had been bought.
The inside is circular in shape, much like a concert hall, and is acoustically built, especially for choral performances. La Pietà's lavish cream and gold decorations give some the idea that it is housed inside a Fabergé Easter egg. The pulpit, confessionals, gallery grills, and organ case are only a few examples of the rococo furniture that Massari designed. By 1751, the roof was installed, and in 1754, Tiepolo was hired to begin work on the ceiling ornamentation. The ceiling of the nave's "The Coronation of the Virgin," the largest of his three murals, also includes female musicians playing twelve various instruments. The smaller oval "Triumph of Faith" is painted on the chancel ceiling and shows Faith triumphing over Hope and Charity, the Virgin's virtues. A grisaille tondo depicting the Old Testament scene of David and the Angel is located on the end wall of the chancel. The frescoes, Tiepolo's final significant cycle of religious paintings, were displayed.
About the Vivaldi Museum, Santa Maria Della Pietà established the Piccolo Museo Antonio Vivaldi in 2004, which has a collection of Baroque instruments from the composer's era and records of the daily activities and regulations of the orphanage. The unique 34-year partnership between Father Antonio and his female musicians was chronicled in the BBC documentary Vivaldi's Women. Unfortunately, YouTube no longer has access to it.
