Continuo Connect — La Serenissima

La Serenissima is the UK’s leading exponent of Italian baroque music. Praised for its ‘all-too-rare ability to make one’s pulse race afresh with every new project’ (Gramophone), La Serenissima has uncovered a plethora of neglected music, making it available to all through live performance, recording and outreach. Uniquely, the group’s entire repertoire is edited from source material.

Founded in 1994 by violinist Adrian Chandler, La Serenissima is recognised for its outstanding recording catalogue, which is regularly featured on BBC Radio 3, Classic FM and international radio; advertising (Beats, 2022) and film (Portrait of a Lady on Fire, 2020). The group has won two Gramophone Awards: for The French Connection (2010) and The Italian Job (2017); in 2018 Vivaldi X2 topped the UK Classical Chart. Recent album Vivaldi’s Women attracted over a million streams in the first weeks of release.

La Serenissima performs across the UK and internationally. It has given the first UK performance of Brescianello's opera Tisbe (2018) and the modern premiere of Caldara's opera Lucio Papirio Dittatore (2019). The group offers opportunities and mentoring to young instrumentalists via Emerging Artist Chairs (launched 2020) and has created digital outreach for Key-Stage 2 children with support from Arts Council England.

La Serenissima looks forward to celebrating its 30th Anniversary with a residency at London’s Wigmore Hall in 2024-25.

La Serenissima is proud to have as its Honorary Patron, His Excellency The Italian Ambassador to the UK.