Founded in Oxford, Oxfordshire, England by artistic director and conductor Robert Hollingsworth in 1986, I Fagiolini is a vocal ensemble best known for reshaping how early and contemporary choral music is experienced on stage. Shortly after their formation, the group quickly distinguished itself through a solo‑voice approach that combines technical precision with theatrical imagination. With their adventurous interpretations of Renaissance and Baroque repertoire, the ensemble has become internationally recognized for productions that blur the line between concert, theatre, and storytelling. This spirit of innovation has brought I Fagiolini to venues ranging from major European festivals to the BBC Proms. While they remain a popular live attraction, their recordings have been central to the ensemble’s influence. Since 1990, I Fagiolini has released more than two dozen albums and films including many dedicated to the works of Monteverdi including The Art of Monteverdi (1990), Flaming Heart (2006), The Full Monteverdi (2007), Fire & Ashes (2008), Sweet Torment (2009), and The Other Vespers (2017). Other releases include All the King's Men - Henry VIII & The Princes of the Renaissance (2009), the landmark release Striggio: Mass in 40 Parts (2011), Leonardo: Shaping the Invisible (2019), Tudor Music from Hampton Court Palace (2020), and Benevoli: Missae Angelus Domini & Dum complerentur (2026). I Fagiolini often collaborates with Barokksolistine, an ensemble that performs with period instruments. Throughout their career, the vocal ensemble has won many awards including 2006’s Ensemble of the Year from the Royal Philharmonic Society, and the Gramophone Early Music Award and Diapason D’Or de L’Année awards in 2011 for Striggio Mass in 40 Parts.
