Europa Galante
Europa Galante has performed in many of the world's major concert halls and theaters,
including La Scala in Milan, Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome, Suntory Hall in
Tokyo, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Royal Albert Hall in London, the Musikverein in
Vienna, Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and the Sydney Opera House, and it has toured
throughout Australia, Japan, Canada, Israel, the US, and South America.
Europa Galante's repertoire includes works by Handel, Vivaldi, and Scarlatti, as well as
instrumental works of the 18th century and chamber works that include string sonatas by
17th-century Italian composers. The ensemble often collaborates with the Fondazione
Musicale Santa Cecilia in Rome, and has rediscovered such little-known 18th-century Italian
operas as Antonio Caldara's La passione di Gesù Cristo, Leonardo Leo's
Sant'Elena al Calvario, and Francesco di Mayo's Gesù sotto il peso della
croce.
In 1998, after years of collaboration with the French record company Opus 111, Europa
Galante signed a contract with Virgin Classics to record Vivaldi's Four Seasons
and two volumes of Boccherini's string quintets, as well as arias from Bach's cantatas with
tenor Ian Bostridge. The ensemble has been nominated four times for Grammy Awards, most
recently for its recording of Vivaldi's Ercole su'l Termodonte. Last year, it was
nominated for its collaboration with Vivica Genaux on an album of Vivaldi arias titled
Pyrotechnics, which also won the ECHO Klassik award. Europa Galante was nominated
for Grammy Awards in 2004 for a CD of Vivaldi's Concerti con molti strumenti and
in 2006 for its recording of Vivaldi's Bajazet.
Recent engagements have included a tour of Sweden and concerts with Ian Bostridge at Grand
Théâtre d'Amiens, as well as performances at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris, Béla
Bartók National Concert Hall in Budapest, the Konzerthaus in Vienna, Grand Auditorium of
Luxembourg's Philharmonie, Bruges Concertgebouw, and the Barbican Centre in London. Opera
programs have included Ariosti's La fede nei tradimenti, which toured to festivals
in Vienna, Siena, and Montpellier; and Handel's Agrippina at the Halle Festival.
Europa Galante is the resident orchestra at Fondazione Teatro Due in Parma.
Fabio Biondi
orn in Palermo, Fabio Biondi began his international career at age 12, performing his first
solo concert with the RAI National Symphony Orchestra. At age 16, he was invited by the
Musikverein of Vienna to perform Bach's violin concertos. Since then, he has performed with
ensembles that include Cappella Real, Musica Antiqua Wien, Il Seminario Musicale, La
Chapelle Royale, and Les Musiciens du Louvre, all of which specialize in the performance of
Baroque music using original techniques and instruments.
In 1990, Mr. Biondi founded Europa Galante, and they have since been invited to perform at
the most important world festivals and concert halls, from La Scala in Milan to the
Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome, Suntory Hall in Tokyo, the Concertgebouw in
Amsterdam, Royal Albert Hall in London, the Musikverein in Vienna, and the Sydney Opera
House, among others. The ensemble's first recording with Mr. Biondi, featuring Vivaldi's
concertos, was awarded the Premio Cini of Venice and the Choc de la Musique, among other
awards. In 2006, their recording of Vivaldi's opera Bajazet was nominated for a
Grammy Award.
Mr. Biondi's varied discography includes Vivaldi's Four Seasons; Corelli's
concerti grossi; oratorios, serenatas, and operas by Scarlatti; Handel operas; and works by
Veracini, Vivaldi, Locatelli, Tartini, as well as sonatas by Bach, Schubert, and Schumann.
Mr. Biondi has collaborated as soloist and conductor with such orchestras as the Accademia
Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome, Rotterdam Chamber Orchestra, European Union Baroque
Orchestra, Halle Opera, Zurich Chamber Orchestra, Norwegian Chamber Orchestra, Orchestre
National de Montpellier, and Mahler Chamber Orchestra, among others. In addition, he has
performed in duo recitals with piano, harpsichord, or fortepiano at Carnegie Hall's Weill
Recital Hall, Cité de la musique in Paris, Hogi Hall in Tokyo, Auditorio Nacional in
Madrid, and Wigmore Hall in London.
Since 2005, Mr. Biondi has served as artistic director for Baroque music of the Stavanger
Symphony Orchestra. This year, he is an academician at the Accademia Nazionale di Santa
Cecilia.
Fabio Biondi plays an Andrea Guarneri violin (Cremona, 1686) and a 1766 Carlo Ferdinando
Gagliano violin, which is owned by his teacher, Salvatore Cicero, and loaned to him by the
Salvatore Cicero Foundation in Palermo.