The Italian counter-tenor and conductor, Claudio Cavina, began his vocal studies in Bologna with Candace Smith, and continued his training with Kurt Widmer and René Jacobs at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis.
Claudio Cavina was the most important Italian counter-tenor of his generation: He performes regulary with many early music groups such as Clemencic Consort, Huelgas Ensemble, La Colombina, Elyma Ensemble, Concerto Italiano (Director: Rinaldo Alessandrini), Europa Galante (Director: Fabio Biondi), Al Ayre Espanol, Le Parlement de Musique (Director: Martin Gester), Fitzwilliam Ensemble, and performed as guest artist in many prestigious festivals in Europe (Madrid, Barcelona, Paris, Ambronay, Geneve, Brugge, Antwerp, Utrecht, Amsterdam, London, Glasgow) and throughout the world (Tel Aviv, Tokyo, Mexico City).
With the Oratorio Gesù al Sepolcro by G.A. Perti, conducted by Sergio Vartolo, Claudio Cavina toured in France (Metz, Lille, Lourdes, La Chaise Dieu) and in Italy (Teatro La Fenice in Venice, and Teatro La Scala in Milan). His operatic career led him to sing in Monteverdi's Orfeo at the Arena di Verona (1990) and at the Opera di Roma, and also in Johann Joseph Fux' Costanza e Fortezza at the MusikVerein in Vienna, he sang in La Purpura de la Rosa by Torrejon y Velasco at the Teatro Comunale di Bologna and in Messina, and in Antonio Vivaldi's Atenaide, conducted by Fabio Biondi. In 1994 he toured with Concerto Köln conducted by Gustav Leonhardt. In 2000 singed in Monteverdi’s Orfeo directed by René Jacobs (Teatro Comunale of Florence).
Claudio Cavina was featured in more than 70 CD's released by such with well-known labels as Deutsche Harmonia Mundi, Sony Classical, Opus 111, Arcana, K 617, Stradivarius, Glossa, Accent and Cantus. His CD of Baroque German music entitled "De Vita Fugacitate" (Glossa) was welcomed with great enthusiasm by the specialized international press.
In 1996 Claudio Cavina fouded La Venexiana, the Italian madrigal group that won with his interpretation of italian madrigals the Prix Cecilia 1999 and Premio Fondazione Cini of Venice (Marenzio's 9th book of madrigals), the Gramophone Award 2000 and Cannes Classical Award 2001 (Gesualdo's 4th Book of Madrigals), Prix Amadeus 2002 (Marenzio's 6th Book of Madrigals), Deutsch SchallplattenPreis (Gesualdo's 5th Book of madrigals and Monteverdi's 6th Book of Madrigals) CHOC of the Year 2005 (Monteverdi's 6th Book of madrigals) : La Venexiana is considerated as “NEW ORPHEUS” of Italian madrigal music. In 2007 became available the whole Monteverdi Edition, recorded by Glossa Music.
Claudio Cavina conducted the Vesper of S. John (Monteverdi) at the Festival Van Vlaanderen and in Povo de Varzin (Portugal); in Tage Ale Musik Regensburg the Ballo delle Ingrate by Monteverdi (2005); at the Sacred Music Festival of Cuenca (Spain) the whole Selva Morale e Spirituale (2005). In November 2005, he conducted the Monteverdi's Vesper of Blessed Virgin in Rome (Santa Maria Maggiore for the Sacred Art Festival. In 2006 he performed in Royaumont, Ribeauville, Leipzig, Hamburg, Hannover, Wien (Konzerthaus), Utrecht. Escorial... New performances will be in Brugge Festival with Ballo delle Ingrate and Monteverdi's Orfeo. With Monteverdi's Orfeo he was be present in several important Festival in Europe on 2007 (Jerez, Modena, Genova, Melk, Regensburg, London, St. Gallen, Lyon....)
Claudio Cavina taught at the Corsi Internazionali di Belluno and Urbino in Italy. In 2016 he suffered a stroke and had struggled with his health ever since. He died on in Forli on August 30 2020 at the age of 58, and was buried at the Church of Santa Reparata. |