Obscuring genius behind a screen<\/p>\n
Something unique happened at the Venetian Ospedali over the course of 200 years: The girls got good. Very good. The musical virtuosity of the orphans became so renowned that their chapel became a mecca for visitors from across Europe.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of orphanages might teach their children to sing to earn alms in the street, for example,\u201d Tonelli said. \u201cBut in Venice, they taught the women to such high levels of performance that it went beyond anything that was happening at other institutions.\u201d<\/p>\n
People reportedly came in droves to hear the women of the Ospedali, but they were not allowed to see them. The religious institution believed it was improper for women to be seen performing instruments, particularly less modest instruments like woodwinds and the cello.<\/p>\n
To avoid perception of scandal, the Ospedali ensemble performed on the balcony of their chapel, closed by a metal grate which obscured the audience\u2019s view, allowing only the players\u2019 silhouettes to be seen.<\/p>\n
The obfuscation only triggered desire. Many men in the audience imagined the beauty of women capable of making such beautiful music. The philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau, smitten by the sound of the women, pined to look behind the grate.<\/p>\n