Period

:

Romantic

Genre

:

Opera

 

The RCA Italiana Opera Chorus and Orchestra is a classical music ensemble that has been entertaining audiences for over 70 years. The ensemble was founded in 1949 by the Italian record label RCA Italiana, which was a subsidiary of the American company RCA Victor. The ensemble was created to record operas for the label, but it quickly became a popular live performance group as well. The ensemble's main members have changed over the years, but it has always been made up of talented musicians and singers. The chorus is made up of around 60 singers, while the orchestra has around 80 members. The ensemble has been led by many talented conductors over the years, including Gianandrea Gavazzeni, Carlo Maria Giulini, and Riccardo Muti. One of the highlights of the ensemble's early years was their performance of Verdi's "Aida" in 1951. The performance was conducted by Tullio Serafin and featured some of the biggest names in opera at the time, including Maria Callas and Mario del Monaco. The performance was a huge success and helped to establish the ensemble as one of the premier opera groups in Italy. In the 1960s and 1970s, the ensemble continued to perform and record operas, but they also began to branch out into other types of classical music. They recorded works by composers such as Mozart, Beethoven, and Brahms, and they also performed in concerts and festivals throughout Italy and Europe. One of the ensemble's most memorable performances was their 1984 concert in Rome's Piazza del Popolo. The concert was conducted by Riccardo Muti and featured a program of popular classical works, including Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 and Verdi's "Va, pensiero" from "Nabucco." The concert was attended by over 100,000 people and was broadcast on television throughout Italy. Over the years, the ensemble has won many awards and accolades for their performances and recordings. They have won several Grammy Awards for their recordings of operas, and they have also been awarded the Italian equivalent of the Grammy, the Premio della Critica Musicale. In 2013, the ensemble was awarded the prestigious Premio Abbiati, which is given to the best Italian music ensemble of the year. Today, the RCA Italiana Opera Chorus and Orchestra continues to perform and record classical music. They are still based in Rome and are considered one of the premier opera groups in Italy. They have recorded over 200 operas and have performed in some of the most prestigious concert halls and opera houses in the world. Their legacy as one of the greatest classical music ensembles in history is secure, and they continue to inspire and entertain audiences around the world.

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