The creation of LES MUSICIENNES DU CONCERT DES NATIONS was inspired by the musical activities of the famous Ospedale della Pietà in Venice. Founded as a convent in 1346, it initially served as a hostel for Crusaders, and, like other ospedali, in the following centuries it became a charitable institution offering refuge to orphaned and abandoned girls. A convent, an orphanage for girls and a school, it was also a place where the girls studied music from a very early age and engaged in important musical activities under the direction of the best Venetian musicians of the day. During the 17th century, the various ospedali in Venice gained a reputation for the musical performances of their soloists, choirs and orchestras – all students of the institution. Many of their concerts were performed exclusively before a select audience made up of distinguished visitors. As la Pietà gained prestige thanks to the quality of the musical training that it provided, it began to receive children related (whether legitimately or illegitimately) to noble families. In the final decades of the Venetian Republic, the Ospedale also accepted young female music students who paid for their lodging and schooling. Thanks to the quality of their exceptional musical performances, during the 17th and 18th centuries the orchestra and choir of the Ospedale enjoyed great prestige, especially during the years when they were directed by Antonio Vivaldi.
Thanks to the numerous auditions held to select candidates for our Professional Development Academies (which, together with Le Concert des Nations, we have organized every year since 2019) and thanks also to the work carried out during the academies, in that time we have been able to incorporate many excellent female musicians in the major symphonic programs we have carried out up to 2024, as well as those scheduled in forthcoming seasons. Today, the majority of these performers have joined our female orchestra project, which consists of women under the age of 39 who pay tribute to the young musicians of Venice’s Ospedale della Pietà and their master, the incomparable Antonio Vivaldi.