Foundling was launched in the summer of 2003 and has played nearly two full seasons to enthusiastic crowds on Cape Cod and in Providence. Foundling has established a partnership with Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence, which acts as fiscal sponsor and advocacy advisor. Inspired by the women of the 18th-century Ospedale della Pietà, the foundling home for girl children in Venice where Vivaldi worked as a music teacher, Foundling is embarking on a dual mission: to develop a world-class professional period instrument ensemble dedicated to the magnificent string music of the Baroque era; and to bring this tremendous artistic resource to bear on the needs of women and children in our communities.