Vivaldi: The Red Priest of Music

Welcome to this episode of Origins of Music. Antonio Vivaldi's red hair earned

him the nickname "the Red Priest" and saved his musical career. Born in Venice in

1678, Vivaldi was ordained as a priest in 1703, but chronic chest problems meant he

couldn't say Mass regularly. This wasn't a setback, it was a gift. While officially

in clerical orders, he could skip church duties and dedicate himself entirely to music.

That same year, he landed the perfect job at the Ospedale della Pietà, a Venetian home

for orphaned girls with an incredible music program. There, he taught violin

and composed for an all-female orchestra that became his personal laboratory. His father,