Founded in 2015, the Greve Opera Academy and Music Festival is a collaborative effort between the American performing organizations Connecticut Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra, CT Lyric Opera and the municipality of Greve-in-Chianti in the province of Florence. The inaugural festival featured a fully staged production of Le Nozze di Figaro performed in the Teatro Boito in Greve, the Teatro Niccolini in San Casciano and in the public square – Piazza Metteotti – of Greve, as well as additional performances in Greve and else wherei. 2016 saw performances of “La Boheme” in Greve and San Gimignano and of “Don Giovanni” in Greve, with additional concerts and recitals in Florence and Greve; and 2017 saw performances of both “Tosca” and “Cosi fan Tutte” in San Gimignano and Greve, with additional concerts and recitals in Florence and Greve. In the first three seasons, attendees have come from the US, Italy, Canada, China, Austria, Poland, Cypress and Australia.

Connecticut Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra

Established in 1997, The Connecticut Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra is Connecticut’s premier professional chamber orchestra dedicated to presenting both traditional and contemporary classical chamber works to the public. The Orchestra, led by founder and Artistic Director, Adrian Sylveen, continues to grow in size and repertoire, presenting approximately twenty five regular and educational performances each year in New Britain, Hartford, New London, Middletown and New York.  The mission of the Virtuosi is to preserve and perpetuate the great traditions of orchestral music through the expansion of its public performance season, its education series, and, by showcasing the excellence of regional and international talent. In the choice of repertoire special attention is given to music from Eastern Europe. The Orchestra collaborates on many projects with the New Britain Chorale, CCSU, Middletown Concert Association, Chopin Foundation in NY, and others. We co-produce fully staged opera productions with Connecticut Lyric Opera, the Virtuosi also collaborates on a community music school project with Tunxis College in Farmington. A frequent guest at the Kosciusko Foundation’s Chamber Music Series, in 2003 the Virtuosi was invited to perform at the Gala Concert celebrating the 25th anniversary of John Paul II’s papacy. See more at: http://thevirtuosi.org