Michi Gaigg

Conductor and violinist Michi Gaigg has been a major force in the historical performance movement across Europe, having directed two important ensembles and led important performances of Baroque opera. As a violinist she was a member of ensembles in various countries and worked with top conductors. In 1983, she founded the ensemble L'Arpa Festante, remaining its director until 1995. The following year she and Carin van Heerden established L'Orfeo Barockorchester, which has enjoyed a strong reputation Europe-wide. Gaigg's interests as a conductor extend well forward into the Classical period and even beyond. As her career has advanced, Gaigg has conducted performances of Baroque and Classical operas, many of them historically neglected. ~ James Manheim