Gilbert Bezzina

Gilbert Bezzina is a French violinist and conductor of baroque opera.

Gilbert Bezzina studied violin at the Conservatory of Nice and continues to perform and record as a violinist.

In 1965 he founded the “Société de Musique Ancienne de Nice”, and in 1982 the “Ensemble Baroque de Nice”, with which he has presented, and in some cases recorded, a series of revivals of baroque operas.^[1]

A selection of Bezzina's major opera revivals include:

• Vivaldi's L'incoronazione di Dario: Gérard Lesne, Henri Ledroit, Dominique Visse, Michel Verschaeve, Isabelle Poulenard, dir. Gilbert Bezzina, recorded for Harmonia Mundi.
• 2003 Vivaldi's Rosmira fedele, Opéra de Nice.^[2]
• 2007 Handel's Teseo at the Opéra de Nice.^[3]

Bezzina also has revived oratorios:

• In 2007 Bezzina premiered a little-known second setting by Alessandro Scarlatti of La Giuditta in a mise en espace by Gilbert Blin.^[4]
• 2009 Alessandro Scarlatti: Agar et Ismaele esiliati.