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Founded in 1994 by Laurent Gendre, Ensemble Orlando Fribuorg was initially devoted to the vocal repertoire of the Renaissance (16th and 17th centuries) and subsequently to Italian, German and English Baroque, with composers such as C. Monteverdi, Alessandro Scarlatti, Nicolaus Bruhns, Heinrich Schütz, Dietrich Buxtehude, H. Purcell, George Frideric Handel and J.S. Bach. The Ensemble formation is of is a variable size, consisting of 10 to 24 professional singers. They have collaborated with renowned instrumental ensembles: Concerto Palatino, Die Freitagsakademie, La Cetra Barockorchester Basel and Barockorchester Capriccio Basel. The Ensemble produces some lively and modern renditions while striving to be true to the original. Their performances are highly noted by professional critics.
Ensemble Orlando Fribuorg performs both in Switzerland and abroad. Since 1996 the Ensemble has been on tour abroad, particularly in Russia, Germany, Spain and in Italy where it won first prize in the category of Vocal Groups at the Concours d'Arezzo. It has also been invited to various music festivals. In 2010, the Ensemble performed at the Festival La Folia in Rougemont (Coronation Anthems and excerpts from Messiah by G.F. Handel), the FIMS (Requiem by Jean Gilles), the Murtenclassics (works of the Spanish Renaissance) and the Concerts de l'Advent de Villars-sur-Glâne (Vespro della Beata Vergine by C. Monteverdi). 2011 began with Psalms of David by H. Schütz and with the Cornets noirs followed by a program devoted to composers from the Rome period of the Counter-Reformation and ended with evening of Vespro della Beata Vergine by Antonio Vivaldi.
Ensemble Orlando Fribuorg has recorded several CD's for the Cascavelle SA Company. Their last CD, devoted to the two J.S. Bach's Messes brèves, was made in November 2009 for the label Claves. The group can be heard regularly on the radio. |
