Last year, I mentioned that there were two biopics on Antonio Vivaldi in the works — one to be based on a screenplay by Jeffrey Freedman, and the other to be produced by Ron Howard and Brian Grazer’s company. (Interestingly, it was once rumoured that the latter film would be directed by Thirteen director Catherine Hardwicke, but she has since moved on to The Nativity Story.) But it seems I completely missed hearing about a third film, Antonio Vivaldi: A Prince in Venice, which will be playing at the Vancouver film festival in just a few weeks. Here’s the VIFF write-up:
Made in cooperation with Virgin Music, this sumptuous, unconventional portrait of composer Antonio Vivaldi (1678- 1741) offers a feast of riches for the eye and ear. It opens with a concert at the Ospedale della Pietà, a Venetian girls’ orphanage, where Vivaldi was master of the violin. He retained a connection with the Pietà for most of his life, writing hundreds of pieces for his pupils there. Despite his reputation today as one of Venice’s greatest sons, Vivaldi wasn’t always lionized in his birthplace. Born into the working class, he struggled to create his sublime music in an often-hostile environment. Although ordained as a priest, he was frequently forced to defend his compositions against the church. The Bishop of Venice, in particular, was determined to destroy his career. Vivaldi aroused much jealousy among his peers. They resented his refusal (on health grounds) to perform mass, his many foreign patrons (including the Pope), and his curious relationship with Anna Giro, his favourite singer. In spite of his difficulties, Vivaldi managed to turn out a large and varied body of sacred and secular music, including concertos, sonatas, oratorios, masses, cantatas and operas, many of which are featured on the splendid soundtrack. However, like many composers of his time, he died in poverty and obscurity, and it took another three centuries for his musical genius to be recognized. The Red Priest finally gets the biopic he deserves from director Jean-Louis Guillermou.
At the moment, it doesn’t sound like there are any screeners of this one, so I will make a point of seeing it during the festival.
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