Formed in 1585, the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia boasts one of the longest histories of any ensemble in the world, as well as an impressive list of alumni, including Sergei Rachmaninoff, Anna Netrebko and Cecilia Bartoli. The ensemble excels at delicate, emotional opera work, whether instrumentals (“Aïda: Preludio”) or arias (“Celeste Aïda”), and they absolutely pop with energy when collaborating with nimble soloists (as with Beatrice Rana on Tchaikovsky's “Piano Concerto No. 1”). The Accademia has been a rite of passage for many stellar conductors, including Sinopoli, Gatti and Pappano.