Vivaldi’s Biggest Crime

He was a distinguished composer with an international reputation but Antonio Vivaldi’s opera Siroe was a disaster of the 1738 season at Ferrara. Writing to his patron on November 9^th, Vivaldi rushed to defend himself:

“Excellency–If the unhappy have no protection from the great patrons of the arts, they become desperate, and that’s just the wretched state I’m in now if Your Excellency, my indulgent patron, doesn’t come to my defense. My reputation in Ferrara is savaged to the point that they’re refusing to stage my next opera.

“My biggest crime, supposedly, is that my recitatives are impossible. With my name, my reputation all across Europe, and having composed ninety-four operas, I cannot go along with such accusations.

“I was sure from the start that the first harpsichordist wasn’t good enough for the job. I was assured that he was a competent artist and an honorable man, but I later found him to be a reckless blockhead. Even after the first rehearsals I heard that when accompanying the recitative he had no idea what he was doing, that he had the gall to meddle with my recitatives, ruining them with his incompetence.

“In fact, they are the same recitatives that were played note for note in Ancona, and Your Excellency knows how highly applauded they were, even some entire scenes applauded just because of the recitatives. The main thing is that in my originals not one note was taken out, either with a knife or with a pen.

“Excellency, I am desperate. I can’t stand having an ignoramus make his fortune on the destruction of my poor name. I humbly beg you not to forsake me, because I swear to Your Excellency, if my reputation is at stake, I shall take action to defend my honor, for he who takes my honor from me, takes my life. The highest protection of Your Excellency is my only consolation in that case, and–kissing your hand with tearful eyes–I remain resigned to my fate.”