Venice, Italy has gone down in history as one of the most prosperous cities in the world. From its humble beginnings as a safe haven for Romans from invading Germans and Huns to its millennium long run as a sovereign state, the lagoon city has provided some of the greatest artistic and commercial advancements in human history. And for a few short weeks, Venice’s beauty and culture will be present in New York City.

Running from February 3rd to the 21st, Carnegie Hall will be leading a city-wide Venetian festival. La Serenissima: Music and Arts from the Venetian Republic is a tribute to the beautiful and storied artistic culture of Venice.

The festival’s timing is no coincidence; La Serenissima is meant to coincide with Venice’s Carnevale event. Featuring more than a dozen vocal and instrumental concerts, as well as several side events at leading cultural institutions, La Serenissima is sure to dazzle the crowds this month.

While many associate Venice with antiquated art and technology, this festival looks to bring the city’s history into the 21st century. The festival features a livestreamed webcast of its opening concert, which features musician Jordi Savall and his ensemble Hesperion XXI, which will remain online for a year. In addition to the online concert, the festival will also feature digital exhibitions of famous Venetian masterpieces. An exhibition on art from the Venetian Republic and one on Renaissance Venetian glasswork should prove to be extremely enlightening for visitors, as well as an exhibit featuring work from the Ca’ Rezzonico.

According to a report from Forbes, the idea for the festival came from a conversation between Savall and Jeremy Geffen, director of artistic planning for Carnegie Hall. The two were discussing Venice’s history of being a meeting point between East and West cultures, which influenced Western music, and it ultimately inspired them to bring the festival to life.

Clive Gillinson, executive and artistic director at Carnegie Hall also noted Venice’s long and influential history. “Anyone who has traveled to Venice knows that there is nowhere like it in the world. As beautiful as it is today, it is also a reflection of a bygone era, a remarkable product of its historic geographic connection between East and West, shaped by the many cultural, social, and political influences that have moved through the city over the centuries,” he said.

For anybody interested in learning more about Venice’s influence on art or music, La Serenissima should definitely prove to be a fun and educational experience.