Europa Galante was formed in 1989, born of the desire of its artistic director, Fabio Biondi to create an Italian instrumental ensemble for interpretations of the great baroque and classical repertoire, played with period-instruments. The discovery of ancient music was, then, exclusively the domain of musicians of northern Europe, and the need for a uniquely Italian review of this repertoire was at the heart of the formation of the ensemble.

Europa Galante achieved great success early on with the release of their first recording of Antonio Vivaldi concertos (Cini Award in Venice, Choc de la Musique in France). From the outset, the ensemble was praised for its ability to “bring something truly new and vital to repertoires that are often performed, illuminating paths already widely traced with intimate modulations, articulated with expressiveness” (Gramophone).

In the years to follow, the new and unique character of Europa Galante was underlined by a growing list of important recording awards, including numerous Diapason d’Or and Choc du Monde de la Musique prizes, several BBC Editor’s Choice, RTL awards and three Grammy Awards nominations.

But above all, the ensemble became widely known for its performances in the world’s most prestigious opera theatres and concert halls including Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Royal Albert Hall in London, Théâtre des Champs-Elysées in Paris, Boulez–Saal in Berlin, Auditorio Nacional in Madrid,  the Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall (where the group was reviewed by The New York Times as “characterized by dynamism and refinement”), Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles and Sydney Opera House. Major festival performances have included London’s BBC Proms, Edinburgh International Festival, Baalbek Festival in Lebanon, as well as important festivals in Asia including the Spring Festival at the National Center of Performing Arts in Beijing, Hong Kong Arts Festival and other performances in the region such as Suntory Hall in Tokyo, Shanghai Concert Hall and Lotte Hall in Seoul. Europa Galante performs on all continents.

In addition to the rediscovery of the most famous works of the Italian baroque repertoire, such as their revolutionary interpretation of Vivaldi’s Four seasons, which has garnered mythical status, Europa Galante has also been involved in the recovery of hidden treasures of the 1700s. In Italy, the ensemble collaborated with the National Academy of Santa Cecilia in the reconstruction of oratorios di Antonio Caldara, Leonardo Leo and Gian Francesco de Mayo, as well as Scarlatti’s works; Carlo Re d’Allemagna, Il Trionfo dell’Onore and Massimo Puppieno.

These researched works have been widely recognised and awarded. In 2002, Fabio Biondi and Europa Galante received the Abbiati Award from Italian music critics for their concert activity as a whole and for the performance of Il Trionfo dell’Onore.

In 2008, Fabio Biondi and Europa Galante, together with Compagnia Colla, were again awarded the Abbiati special prize for “Filemone e Bauci” by Haydn, for the originality and value of the rediscovery of the work, which they were able to restore to its full instrumental and vocal splendour.

The curiosity of Biondi and Europa Galante continues to go further, crossing the boundaries of the baroque and classical styles. In 2001 the group made its first foray into the bel canto repertoire with a performance of Bellini’s “Norma” on period-instruments for the Verdi Festival. Despite the uproar that it aroused from the Parma gallery fans, Europa Galante’s Norma marked the beginning of a path of re-examination, both at a musicological and organic level of Italian nineteenth-century music.

Collaborations with Europa Galante on this exciting journey have included the Rieti Festival with titles such as “I capuletti e I Montecchi” by Bellini and “Anna Bolena” by Donizetti, and the Bremen Festival with “La Cenerentola” by Rossini.

It is worth mentioning that one of the most significant festivals in Europe, the Chopin Festival, has, since 2016, supported the orchestra in all its projects of rediscovery of the bel canto repertoire such as Bellini, Donizetti (“Betly”) and Verdi’s operas, “Macbeth” and “Il Corsaro”. In Warsaw, Europa Galante regularly performs works by the well-known Polish composer Stanislaw Moniuszko – “Halka”, “Flis”, “Hrabina” – in August 2023, the ensemble will perform the opera “Paria” together with a Symphonic program (Schuman, Grieg).

Europa Galante is made up of musicians who, together with and under the direction of Fabio Biondi, have achieved a common vision and passion for what they do through years of work and rapport. This sense of mutual understanding within the group has led to Europa Galante’s increasing number of chamber music engagements, which range from the Italian sonatas of the 1700s to the quintets of L.Boccherini, and most recently the unpublished quartets of the Milanese, Carlo Monza, performed to critical acclaim at the Edinburgh International Festival.

Following the distressing hiatus caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, Europa Galante have resumed in the 21/22 season with various projects, including touring Monteverdi’s Orfeo at Theater an der Wien and the Elbphilarmonie in Hamburg as well as a chamber music program of Haydn in Italy (Rome, Turin, Verona and Florence).

In the ‘22/’23 season, after a long United States tour in October ‘22, Europa Galante toured Japan – including a staged opera performance in Yokohama Theatre and Korea. The ensemble will also play at the Mozarteum in Salzburg, and will present the Monteverdi Opera “Il ritorno d’Ulisse in Patria” at the Genève Grand Théâtre, bringing the title in concert form to Barcelona (Palau de la Musica) and Madrid (Auditorio Nacional). Europa Galante are present across multiple countries including Italy (Siena, Pisa, Parma, Venezia) and in other countries like Germany (Leipzig Bach Festival) Austria and Norway (Stavanger and Bergen). Europa Galante is resident at the Teatro Due Foundation in Parma with which it collaborates cyclically on staging projects.