Tomaso Giovanni Albinoni was a son of a wealthy Venetian trader. A child prodigy, Albinoni became known as a singer and, more importantly, as a virtuoso violinist. Albinoni, however, soon abandoned his performing career and dedicated himself entirely to composition. Albinoni’s first opera, Zenobia, regina de Palmireni, was staged in Venice. A very prolific composer, Albinoni wrote 81 operas, most of them performed to a great acclaim in Italy and northern Europe. Considered equal to his contemporary giants Corelli and Vivaldi, Albinoni published his compositions in Italy, England and Holland. All Albinoni’s compositions were sponsored by the important members of the European nobility.