Company Profile

Company Overview

ABOUT THE BOSTON EARLY MUSIC FESTIVAL

Recognized as the preeminent early music presenter and Baroque opera producer in North America, the Boston Early Music Festival (BEMF) has been credited with securing Boston’s reputation as “America’s early music capital” (The Boston Globe). Founded in 1981, BEMF offers diverse programs and activities, including three GRAMMY®-nominated CDs and a 2015 GRAMMY® Award-winning recording (Marc-Antoine Charpentier’s La Descente d’Orphée aux Enfers and La Couronne de Fleurs) in the category of Best Opera Recording, an annual concert series that brings early music’s brightest stars to the Boston and New York concert stages, and a biennial week-long Festival and Exhibition recognized as the “world’s leading festival of early music” (The Times, London). The 18th Boston Early Music Festival took place from June 7–14, 2015, and was highlighted by Claudio Monteverdi’s trilogy of operas: Il Ritorno d'Ulisse in Patria, L'Incoronazione di Poppea, and Orfeo. BEMF’s Artistic Leadership includes Artistic Directors Paul O’Dette and Stephen Stubbs, Opera Director Gilbert Blin, and Orchestra Director Robert Mealy.