The ensemble il pomo d’oro, named after the opera by Antonio Cesti from 1666, was founded in 2012. It is characterized by an authentic, dynamic interpretation of operas and instrumental works from the Baroque and Classical period. The musicians are all well-known specialists and are among the best in the field of historical performance practice. The ensemble so far worked with the conductors Riccardo Minasi, Maxim Emelyanychev, Stefano Montanari, George Petrou, Enrico Onofri and Francesco Corti. Concert master Zefira Valova leads the orchestra in various projects. Since 2016 Maxim Emelyanychev has been its chief conductor.

With performances of operas in concert version, recitals and instrumental programs, il pomo d’oro is a regular guest in the most important concert halls and festivals all over Europe and worldwide.

The discography of il pomo d’oro includes several opera recordings: Händel’s Agrippina, Serse, Tamerlano, Partenope and Ottone, Vinci’ s Catone in Utica, Stradella’s La Doriclea, and recitals with the countertenors Jakub Józef Orliński,  Franco Fagioli, Max Emanuel Cencic, and Xavier Sabata, with mezzosopranos Ann Hallenberg and Joyce DiDonato and with sopranos Lisette Oropesa, Francesca Aspromonte and Emöke Barath. Instrumental albums are dedicated to cello concertos with Edgar Moreau and violin and harpsichord concertos by J.S. Bach with Shunske Sato and Francesco Corti.

Many of these recordings have received important awards (Opus/Echo Klassik, ICMA award, Diapason d’or, Choc)

Il pomo d’oro is official ambassador of El Sistema Greece, a humanitarian project to provide free musical education to children in Greek refugee camps.

www.il-pomodoro.ch