What's so important about Venice in the Baroque period?

Question

Many famous Baroque musicians and composers, for example Vivaldi, were children of Venice and did their work there. What other reasons are there for Venice being a great spawning ground for Baroque music?

Answer 1

Great question! Venice was a hub for art and music for many reasons, most importantly of which is because it was a port city. This allowed traders and musicians to travel there easily. There were also very many wealthy patrons for musicians to either perform in their courts, or compose for them exclusively. The development of Baroque opera happened in Venice as well, attracting many performers and composers for the purpose of opera. Hope this helps!