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Vivaldi's Secret Affair: A Teenage Violinist's Melancholy
20 Apr
Summary
- Film depicts a fictional affair between Vivaldi and a teenage violinist.
- Movie's staging and performances are described as lifeless and uninteresting.
- The iconic 'Four Seasons' masterpiece is only heard during the final credits.
A recent film adaptation of Tiziano Scarpa's novel, Stabat Mater, offers a dramatically weak portrayal of Antonio Vivaldi's life. The movie explores a fictional romantic involvement between the composer and Cecilia, a gifted teenage orphan tutored at Venice's Ospedale della Pietà.
Directed by opera director Damiano Michieletto, the film has been criticized for its lifeless staging and unengaging performances. The narrative highlights Cecilia's potential marriage, which would prevent her from continuing her musical education at the orphanage.
Despite fragments of music hinting at early drafts of Vivaldi's famed 'Four Seasons,' the masterpiece itself is conspicuously absent until the film's conclusion. The movie's treatment of dramatic plot points, including a threatened virginity test and subsequent violence, is described as bland and ultimately overshadowed by its earnest solemnity.
