Gloria! (2024) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

A servant's love of music in Venice

In the late 18th century, a musical school for orphan girls operates in Venice, modelled on Vivaldi's Ospedale della Pietà. Teresa, a servant at the school, loves hearing the music that fills the halls all around her. Her deep connection to the melodies sets the stage for everything that follows.

When

Late 18th century

Where

Venice

Discovery of the piano-forte

Teresa stumbles upon a new piano-forte hidden away in a storeroom of the school. The discovery excites her and opens the door for her to make music herself. The instrument quickly becomes central to the lives of the girls.

Where

School storeroom

Five girls begin making music

Teresa joins together with four of the orphan girls to play the newly found piano-forte. However, one of the girls, Lucia, dislikes Teresa and resents her involvement. Tension begins to simmer within the unlikely group of musicians.

Where

Musical school

Sharing the piano with an hourglass

To compromise and settle the conflict over the instrument, the girls agree to take turns playing the piano. An hourglass is used to measure each player's allotted time. This arrangement allows the group to continue making music together.

Perlina struggles with the Pope's commission

Perlina, the school's director, is trying to compose a musical work to welcome the new Pope. Despite the importance of the commission, Perlina fails to make any headway on the composition. The girls at the school become well aware of the director's lack of progress.

Where

Musical school

Lucia's composition is rejected

Seeing that Perlina has made no progress, Lucia offers her own work for the important performance. Perlina rudely declines her offer, dismissing the girl's composition outright. The rejection wounds Lucia deeply.

Lucia's engagement is broken off

Lucia receives a letter from the parents of her would-be betrothed. The letter informs her that the arranged marriage is not going ahead after all. This blow compounds the pain of having her music rejected.

Lucia attempts suicide

Upset by the double blow of her rejected composition and the cancelled marriage, Lucia falls into despair. In her anguish, she attempts to take her own life. The tragedy deeply shakes the community at the school.

The piano is sold

Perlina sells the school's piano-forte in order to pay for a friend's debts. The instrument that had brought the girls so much joy is suddenly taken away from them. The loss strikes at the heart of the group's music-making.

Teresa demands the piano back

Teresa investigates and discovers that the piano was given to the orphans, not to Perlina. Armed with this knowledge, she demands that the instrument be returned to the girls. Her discovery gives her powerful leverage against the director.

A dark threat to reclaim the music

To force the issue, Teresa issues a shocking threat: the piano must be given back and Lucia's composition must be used for the Pope's performance. She reveals that she was raped by the Governor and had her son taken away from her. If her demands are not met, she vows to expose the truth.

The girls seize the performance

At the performance for the Pope, the girls lock Perlina behind a wall to prevent any interference. In Perlina's place, they perform their own piece of music, using Lucia's composition. It is a bold act of rebellion staged on the most important occasion in the school's history.

Chaos at the concert

The audacious performance throws the event into chaos. Many audience members enjoy the music, while others hate it, and the Pope is left angry. The concert becomes a scandal that no one in attendance will forget.

The Governor's death

Amid the turmoil of the performance, the Governor suffers a heart attack and dies. His sudden death brings an end to the man who had wronged Teresa years earlier. It also removes the looming threat hanging over her secret.

Epilogue: new lives

In the epilogue, Teresa is shown living together with her son and his step-mother. She receives a letter from the girls of the school, who have formed a successful travelling musical group. The story closes on a note of hard-won happiness and triumph for the musicians.