Anna Maria & Maestro Vivaldi

The picture book Anna Maria & Maestro Vivaldi is a fictionalized story of the relationship between the 18th century composer Vivaldi and his student Anna Maria. In the book, Anna Maria is a young violin player with synesthesia when she meets Vivaldi. He works with her at the same time as he composes “The Four Seasons”. As stated in the excerpt, Anna Maria is an orphan. Although Anna Maria mentions her mother, father, and little sister, the details of their deaths are omitted. In many ways, the story lacks an emotional depth. The text is heavy and stilted with formal dialogue, and the conversations between the adult Vivaldi and eight-year-old Anna Maria lack believability.

Award-winning illustrator François Thisdale uses his multi-textured style to create the colourful images conjured by Anna Maria as she plays her violin and to link them to the place and the music.

Students of music and their teachers may reach for Anna Maria & Maestro Vivaldi when talking about “The Four Seasons” and the way imagery is created in music.