Vivaldi's Women [12min]

One of the great musical partnerships of all time was also one of the most surprising: that between a charitable institution in Venice which took in unwanted girl babies -- even branding them with its own mark -- and one of the world's best-known composers, Antonio Vivaldi. The institution had its own all-female orchestra and choir, and Vivaldi became their musical director. The impact on his composition was remarkable and the names of individual women for whom he wrote have been unearthed from the archives. Most remarkably, a convincing case has been made for him using women singing bass. As a BBC Four TV programme tells their story, Martha Kearney will be joined by the researcher Micky White who's brought the women's stories to light, and singer Nancy-Jane Rucker. Vivaldi's Women is showing on BBC Four TV, Saturday 25 March at 7pm GMT. Vivaldi's Magnificat is broadcast on BBC Radio 3 on 16 April, Easter Sunday, at 6pm GMT.