Europa Galante

Europa Galante was founded in 1990 by its musical director Fabio Biondi who wanted to form an Italian period instrument ensemble to perform both baroque and classical repertoire. The ensemble has a varying structure and often performs chamber music such as the string sonatas of Italian composers of the seventeenth century.

The ensemble’s repertoire includes the operas of Handel such as Agrippina and Imeneo as well as Vivaldi including Bazajet, Ercole sul Termodonte, Oracolo in Messenia and many pre-eighteenth century instrumental works. The group is also widely known for its performances of the works of Alessandro Scarlatti such as the oratorios (Maddalena, La Santissima Trinití ), serenatas (Clori, Dorino e Amore) and operas including Massimo Puppieno, Il Trionfo dell'Onore, La Principessa Fedele and Carlo Re d'Allemagna.

Europa Galante collaborates regularly with the Fondazione Santa Cecilia in Rome to rediscover and restore eighteenth-century Italian operas such as Antonio Caldara's La Passione di Gesí¹ Cristo, L. Leo's Sant'Elena al Calvario, or Gesu sotto il peso della Croce by F.di Mayo. Last season in Rome the ensemble has presented La Foresta Incantata by Francesco Geminiani, together with an animated film by Fabio Biondi and the director Davide Livermore.

Europa Galante has performed in many of the world's major concert halls and theatres including La Scala in Milan, Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome, Suntory Hall in Tokyo, Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Royal Albert Hall in London, Musikverein in Vienna, Lincoln Center in New York and the Sydney Opera House. The ensemble has toured throughout Australia, Japan, Europe, Canada, Israel, the USA and South America.

Ever since the release of its first record dedicated to Vivaldi concertos, the ensemble has received worldwide recognition, gaining an impressive list of awards. After working with the French record company Opus 111, Europa Galante has collaborate exclusively  with Virgin Classics, a partnership which has lasted 15 years.The ensemble has been nominated twice for a Grammy, first in 2004 with its record of Vivaldi's Concerti con molti strumenti and then in 2006 for its recording of Vivaldi’s Bajazet. The most recent release, Vivaldi's opera L'Oracolo in Messenia has received the Diapason D'Or and has been critically acclaimed.