Biography
The Symphonic Orchestra Giuseppe Verdi of Milano, founded in 1993 by Vladimir Delman, has become one of Italy's most important symphonic orchestras. Since then the Orchestra has become a highly flexible and versatile group, performing a repertoire which ranges from Bach to the main composers of nineteenth-century symphonic music and offering new programs combining classical music with more unusual repertoire. The season's program includes each year 34 different symphonic concerts, as well as some smaller concert series.
Riccardo Chailly, Musical Director from 1999 to 2005, was appointed Conductor Laureate in September 2005. The Orchestra can claim Wayne Marshall and Helmut Rilling as Principal Guest Conductors. Rudolf Barshai, who has been very close to the Orchestra for many years, has been appointed Conductor Emeritus from the season 2006-2007, whereas the famous horn player Radovan Vlatkovic and pianist Simone Pedroni have been nominated Artists in Residence.
The Orchestra has been conducted among others by Riccardo Chailly, Georges Prêtre, Riccardo Muti, Valery Gergiev, Rudolf Barshai, Claus Peter Flor, Christopher Hogwood, Helmuth Rilling, Peter Maag, Marko Letonja, Daniele Gatti, Roberto Abbado, Ivor Bolton, Kazushi Ono, Vladimir Jurowski, Yakov Kreizberg, Ulf Schirmer e Eiji Oue. In the season 2005-2006 made thier dubut Herbert Blomstedt e Krzysztof Penderecki and in the season 2006-2007 Leonard Slatkin, Vladimir Fedoseyev e Wayne Marshall. The Orchestra has played with soloists such as Martha Argerich, Mstislav Rostropovic, Vadim Repin, Hilary Hahn, Lynn Harrell, Viktoria Mullova, Sarah Chang, Midori, Han-Na Chang, Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Nelson Freire, Salvatore Accardo, Mario Brunello, Alexander Toradze, Radovan Vlatkovic.
In 2002 the Symphonic Orchestra and Symphonic Chorus Giuseppe Verdi of Milano Foundation was established, joined by Banca Popolare di Milano, RAS, the Region of Lombardia, the City of Milan, the Chamber of Commerce of Milan, the Province of Milan and Pirelli RE, to guarantee the tradition which has been characterizing the Orchestra since the foundation in 1993: the important presence of a multitude of members who support the Orchestra and confer that special identity on our musical institution.
In addition to rich symphonic season in its theatre in Milan, the Orchestra was asked often in prestigious halls in Italy and abroad. In 2002, the Orchestra was resident orchestra at the Festival dei due Mondi in Spoleto and played in France, Spain, Portugal and Switzerland in its first European tour. In June 2003 under the conduction of Oleg Caetani the Orchestra performed in Chile, Argentina and Brazil. In October it played in the best concert halls in a Japanese tour conducted by Riccardo Chailly with the participation of Martha Argerich and la Verdi Choir directed by Roman Gandolfi. In January 2004 the Orchestra conducted by Riccardo Chailly has debuted at the Canary Islands Festival. In 2004 the Orchestra was engaged as resident orchestra at the Festival delle Nazioni di città di Castello. In January 2005 the Orchestra, led by Eiji Oue and with the participation of violinist Hilary Hahn, made a tour in Germany and France, while in May of that year, led by Riccardo Chailly, was a guest in some of the more European cities including Frankfurt, Vienna and Budapest. From Lastly, the important debut 68th edition of the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino in May 2005.
In the autumn 2006, the Orchestra Verdi made for the first time in Italian history, a tour under the guidance of Maestro Marko Letonja and with the participation of pianist Benedetto Lupo, throughout the national territory, touching eleven cities in about 20 days.
24th April 2008 the Orchestra and Chorus of la Verdi performed in Sala Nervi (Vatican) for Pope Benedetto XVI and the President of the Republic Giorgio Napolitano in a concert offered by the President on the occasion of the III anniversary of Benedetto XVI's the Pontificate.
The Orchestra has started a collaboration with Decca. Its first recording, Verdi Heroines, has won the Gramophone Award, the Classic FM People's Choice and the Choc de l'Année. The following recording, Verdi - Messa Solenne, with the participation of the Chorus conducted by Romano Gandolfi, was nominated for the 2001 Gramophone Awards. In 2002 the Orchestra recorded Rossini Arias, a recital with Juan Diego Flórez, Sacred Songs with Placido Domingo, Rossini Discoveries, conducted by Riccardo Chailly and a second recital by Flórez, Una furtiva lagrima. The latest recordings include a CD of Sacred Songs with Placido Domingo for Deutsche Grammophone, two further CD with rarities of Italian composers, Verdi Discoveries with the participation of Jean-Yves Thibaudet and Puccini Discoveries, directed by Riccardo Chailly.
In April 2005 a CD with orchestral transcriptions by Luciano Berio, conducted by Riccardo Chailly, was published by Decca; in the autumn 2006 the Complete Symphonies by Shostakovich, conducted by Oleg Caetani, will be published by Arts, and, for the label Brilliant Classics, the Shostakovich Chamber Symphonies, conducted by Rudolf Barshai.
In 2008 Verdi's Orchestra e Choir recorded the cd "Cielo e Mar" for Deutsche Grammophon with Rolando Villazón and Daniela Callegari; for (the recording label) Universal Music "Andrea Chénier" of Umberto Giordano with the partecipation of Daniela Dessì, Fabio Armiliato, Carlo Guelfi, conducted by Vjekoslav Sutej and for Bottega Discantica the Christmas farytale words and music "La storia di Tuttifäntchen" with music of Paul Hindemith and the acting voice of Quirino Principe.
