The Ensemble

The Orquesta Barroca de Sevilla ("OBS") arose out of an initiative by Barry Sargent and Ventura Rico in 1995. It has enjoyed enduring public, as well as critical, favour since its inception, and the quality of the performances and the interesting programming have resulted in unanimous acclaim. The group brings together professionals of the highest quality who frequently perform with other specialist groups from both the Spanish and the European worlds of early music. Only a few years ago it would have seemed unthinkable that an indigenous project such as this could get off the ground and find continued support in Spain.

In the last ten years the OBS have produced and performed more than fifty programmes in important Spanish venues. These include Mozart's Requiem and Coronation Masses, Handel's Messiah, symphonic programmes dedicated to the works of Haydn and C.P.E. Bach, and in the operatic field, Haydn's Lo Speziale and Monteverdi's L'Incoronazione di Poppea.

The OBS has been conducted by some of the leading international specialists, such as Harry Christophers, Monica Huggett, Gustav Leonhardt, Christophe Coin, Pablo Valetti, Anton Steck, Diego Fasolis, Eduardo López Banzo, Rinaldo Alessandrini, Jordi Savall, Hiro Kurosaki, Manel Valdivieso, Gui Van Waas, Josep Pons, Juanjo Mena and Barry Sargent, who was the principal conductor between 1995 and 2000. Since June 2005 Monica Huggett has been the principal guest conductor.

It has recorded Haydn's Seven Last Words of Christ on the Lindoro label, the Oratorio per la passione di Nostro Signore Gesú by A. Scarlatti for Harmonia Mundi, which was awarded Gramophone magazine's "Editors choice" accolade, and is preparing the world premiere recording of Porpora's oratorio, ll Verbo in carne under the direction of Anton Steck. Its next discographic project is the unpublished music of Malaga and Cadiz cathedrals.

At this particular time, thanks to the sponsorship of the Bank Caja San Fernando, the OBS is able to offer a season of concerts in some of Andalusia's regional capitals. The group is also able to rely on the support of the Autonomous Government of Andalusia, the Ministry of Culture and Seville's city council.