Antonio Lucio Vivaldi was born on March 4, 1678, in Venice — according to legend, during an earthquake. In 1703, he was ordained as a priest, but had to resign from his post at the Church of Santa Maria della Pietà soon afterward due to health reasons. From then on, Vivaldi dedicated himself entirely to music and rose to become one of Europe’s most celebrated composers.
He composed nearly 500 concertos, and by around 1710, his works had come to define Italian concert music. To date, 49 operas by Vivaldi have been identified. His most famous work, without a doubt, is Le quattro stagioni — The Four Seasons.
Vivaldi was known for his bold and diverse instrumentation, using everything from classical strings and winds to the Baroque hammered dulcimer, known as the salterio. His music is marked by vivid rhythm, enchanting melodic beauty, and dazzling virtuoso passages.
