Accademia Bizantina

Based in Ravenna, the Accademia Bizantina ensemble was founded in 1989 and has been directed since 1996 by harpsichordist and conductor Ottavio Dantone (b. 1960). The ensemble specializes in Baroque music on period instruments, and has recorded a large number of works for the Arts Music, Decca and Naïve labels. The first recording of Giuseppe Sarti's opera Giulio Sabino (1999) was followed by interpretations of compositions by Bach, Scarlatti, Vivaldi, Handel, Haydn and Corelli. In 2005, the ensemble performed Handel's opera Rinaldo at La Scala in Milan, then at the Glyndebourne Festival in 2011. 2018 sees the release of a recording of Vivaldi's opera Il Giustino, followed by works by the same composer for the Naïve label.