Founded in 1997 by Baroque scholar and harpsichordist Andrea Marcon, the Venice Baroque Orchestra is recognized as one of the premier ensembles devoted to period instrument performance. The Orchestra receives wide critical acclaim for its concert and opera performances throughout North America, Europe, South America, Japan and Korea,Taiwan and China.
The Orchestra has appeared in many more cities across the United States than any other Baroque orchestra in history. They also maintain the most frequent touring schedule to Asia.
2018 season highlights include two USA tours and concerts in Europe with mandolonist Avi Avital and a tour in Japan, China and Corea with conutertenor Franco Fagioli.
In 2019 VBO will perform in Europe, South America and USA.
Performance highlights include extensive tours of Europe, the United States and Asia with countertenor Philippe Jaroussky; concerts with contralto Marie-Nicole Lemieux in France and Belgium; concerts with Avi Avital in Italy, Croatia, Germany, Spain, France, Mexico, and a twelve-concert tour of the United States and Canada; performance in the Frauenkirche with soprano Karina Gauvin for the Dresden Music Festival; and a tour with mezzo-soprano Magdalena Kozená including the Istanbul Festival and the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg. Highly unusual for a Baroque ensemble, the VBO premiered Philip Glass’s violin concerto The American Four Seasons.
Conductor, organist, and harpsichordist Andrea Marcon is one of the most renowned musicians and specialists for early music.
In 2017/2018 and 2018/2019 he interprets a production of Alcina at Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow for the first time.
He has been heralded for his performances of Marcello’s Il trionfo della Musica e della Poesia; Vivaldi’s Orlando Furioso, Atenaide, Tito Manlio, Gloria, Magnificat, Juditha Triumphans; Cavalli’s Calisto and Giasone; Monteverdi’s Orfeo and Vespers; Handel’s Messiah, Ariodante and Alcina; and Bach’s cantatas and Mass in B minor. His repertoire also spans Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert symphonies and early Rossini operas.
The repertoire will include works by Vivaldi and Haendel.