Following in Vivaldis footsteps in Venice, where the composer displayed his musical genius for three decades

REPORTAGE – The author of “The Four Seasons” is the hero of the subtle and delicate Italian film “Vivaldi and Me,” in theaters on April 29. On this occasion, “Le Figaro Magazine” explores the “serene” by following in his footsteps.

No wrinkles on the water. Gondolas at the dock. When night falls on Venice, one can easily travel back in time to the 17th century and imagine Vivaldi, violin on his back, emerging from an alley or crossing one of the city’s 400 bridges. Here, lagoon life unfolds at a pace unknown to other cities. Few places are as intimately associated with a musician. We think of Mozart and Salzburg, or Bach and Leipzig, but these alliances are rare. In Venice, in this protective autarky, the Italian composer spent almost his entire life.

The film “Vivaldi and Me,” directed by Damiano Michieletto and distributed in 40 countries, tells the story of how the musician seized his chance in 1703. A teaching position is vacant at the Pio Ospedale della Pietà, an orphanage for talented young girls in music. The “Red Priest,” as he will be nicknamed due to his hair color, crosses the threshold of the institution for the first time.