Günther Klein

One of today's most widely performed composers, Antonio Vivaldi was an equally acclaimed artist in his own lifetime, whose career was as fascinating as it was atypical. Vivaldi was born in the dynamic, liberal Republic of Venice in 1678, the son of a barber and violinist. Alongside his violin studies, the young virtuoso embarked on an ecclesiastical career. He was hired as a music teacher at the Ospedale della Pietà hospice for orphans, where he formed the first female orchestra in history. He composed numerous pieces of sacred, choral and instrumental music for the residents, before writing his first operas, including the triumphant Orlando furioso. At the height of his powers, Vivaldi's works - including the Four Seasons, one of the first so-called "program music" works in history - triumphed throughout Europe.

This German format is not a series properly speaking, as it has no permanent cast or script continuity, but presents each time a 45 minutes documentary, usually in part presented as a docudrama (not faction, as close to scientific knowledge as possible, but visually attractive), elaborating a specific historical theme, widely varied, often exotic in the sense of a far time (as far back as prehistoric times) and/or place (around the globe), although some episodes fit together well, chronologically or thematically, but always fit to be watched separately. Usually authentic locations are used, as well as scenes from and/or interviews about the scientific research it is based upon.