St. Theodor

He was the original patron of Venice. He is in fact that guy on one of the two columns in Piazza San Marco, next to Palazzo Ducale. 

One is the Saint Mark’s Lion and the other San Todaro (in Venitian), having killed a dragon. The dragon is nothing like Viserion—the scaring dragon of Daenerys Targaryen–it looks more like a crocodile to me but the author of the statue didn’t see Game of Thrones back then. 

In 828, the Serenissima Republic, following the policy of detachment from the Byzantine sphere of influence, replaced St. Theodor with St. Mark as the official patron of the city.

Therefore “Todaro” lost much of his privileges and prime real estate.

Scuola Grande San Teodoro

The activities of the Scuola were gradually becoming more and more characterized by particular attention and propensity to the poor’s welfare. Due to this specificity, over the years, the number of members, some of whom were very influential, increased to such an extent that the confraternity acquired a new status in the city. 

Today the Scuola Grande San Teodoro is located just two minutes from the Rialto Bridge, in its spaces, it hosts congresses, conferences, exhibitions and in the evening the concerts by the I Musici Veneziani orchestra.

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The Orchestra, the History, the Training

The Orchestra de I Musici Veneziani, founded on the selection of the most talented musicians and singers of Venetian training, was established in 1996 with the aim of reviving the artistic-cultural tradition of the period of greatest splendor of the Serenissima Republic of Venice.

Specialized in the interpretation of classical-opera musical production of the centuries at the turn of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the Orchestra owes its fame to the faithful and brilliant execution that makes each concert an unforgettable moment. The performances, ennobled by splendid period costumes and jewels made from 18th century sketches, are held in the wonderful Chapter Hall of the Scuola Grande di San Teodoro, today the most prestigious private concert hall in Venice.

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The Orchestra de I Musici Veneziani, with over 5000 concerts to its credit, offers every year a classical-lyrical concert season in Venice and is still the only stable classical orchestra in Baroque period clothes based on original designs existing at world.

Click here for information, calendar of concerts, and tickets.