Teatri e musica a Venezia

Venice was already considered a city of music at the time of the Renaissance.  St. Mark's Basilica was internationally renowned for its polychoral music style in which spatially separated choirs sang in alternation), and it was home to talented conductors and composers such as Claudio Monteverdi, and to organists and composers such as Andrea and Giovanni Gabrieli. The 18th century was also characterized by a kind of „opera fever“. Concerts and performances took place in public theaters, in private palaces, and also in the “Ospedali,” religious institutions where the music was used as a means of education for orphans. Later when the girls' choirs became so celebrated that they attracted visitors and donations even from other European countries, instruction became an important factor in the economy of the institution.

Questo tour può iniziare nella piccola sala da musica (ingresso a pagamento su prenotazione) dell'elegante "Ospedaletto" vicino a San Giovanni e Paolo, dove l'alta società del Settecento veneziano si deliziava ad ascoltare i cori femminili. 

Non lontano dall'Ospedaletto si trova la chiesa della Pietà, la cui architettura fu concepita oltre che per scopi religiosi, anche per eseguire e ascoltare al meglio la musica di Vivaldi, che aveva insegnato per molti anni all'Ospedale. All'interno visiteremo le "Cantorie", l'area dove cantavano le ragazze e da dove si possono ammirare gli affreschi del Tiepolo.

L'amata Fenice, il teatro d'opera ricostruito una seconda volta dopo l'incendio del 1996, replica la sontuosa decorazione precedente e trasmette ancora la passione per la musica della Venezia ottocentesca.

For anyone interested in the Italian popular theatre “Commedia dell’Arte” (based on masked characters such as Harlequin, Pantalone and Brighella; later Carnival figures), I recommend a visit to the tiny Center of Theatre Studies and Museum in Ca 'Goldoni (particularly interesting for kids).