Dramatic portrayal of orphan story in Vivaldi's Venice in cinemas now

Following 2025’s tricentennial celebrations around the appearance in print of Antonio Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, an Italian-language film has been released dramatising the composer’s life and the genesis of his most popular work, told from the perspective of one of his female students.

Primavera, directed by the Olivier Award-winning Venetian opera director Damiano Michieletto making his big-screen debut, tells the story of talented young violinist Cecilia (Tecla Insolia), who has spent most of her 20 years in Venice’s largest orphanage and home for abadandoned girls, the Ospedale della Pietà. Her talents are confined to its four walls until she meets a new teacher, Antonio Vivaldi (Michele Riondino), who encourages her to seek a life beyond her predetermined destiny to be married off to a wealthy local soldier.

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Vivaldi – nicknamed the Red Priest after the colour of his hair – was composer in residence and a music teacher at the orphanage in real life, though his relationship with Cecilia is entirely fictional. The score, penned by Fabio Massimo Capogrosso, draws heavy inspiration from Le quattro stagioni, with Vivaldi's work finally performed in full during the end credits.

The film is based on the 2008 novel, Stabat Mater, by Tiziano Scarpa. After its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in late 2025, it received a number of accolades, including the Audience Award at the Chicago Film Festival, Best Feature Film at the Victoria Film Festival (Canada), and both Best Director and Best Editing at the BCN Film Fest (Spain).

Primavera is out now in the UK with screenings at independent cinemas nationwide, including Curzon, Picture House, and Vue. To learn more of the story behind Vivaldi's Four Seasons, read our exclusive interview with Dr Hannah French in which she uncovers the storms, struggles and humanity beneath his best-loved work.

^{Cover photo: Screenshot from official YouTube trailer.}