Claudio Cavina was one of the leading Italian countertenors of his generation. He studied with Candace Smith and Cristina Miatello, then received specialized training from Kurt Widmer at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis. He collaborated with many important international vocal ensembles, such as Concerto Italiano, the Huelgas Ensemble, La Colombina, Al Ayre Espanol, the Clemencic Consort, and the Elyma Ensemble. He appeared in recitals, concerts, and operas at venues such as La Fenice in Venice, the Florence Theatre, La Scala in Milan, the Arena in Verona, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, and the Musikverein in Vienna. Cavina recorded more than 60 albums, including Alessandro Scarlatti's Cantata per la notte di Natale (Op. 111), De vita fugacitate (Glossa), and In natali domini (Accent). In 1995, he founded La Venexiana, a highly acclaimed vocal group specializing in Italian early music. La Venexiana won several prestigious prizes, including Premio Cini (1999), Prix Cecilia (1999), the Gramophone Award (2000), and the Cannes Classical Award (2001). Cavina taught at the Belluno International Academy (Italy) and at the Tsuru Early Music Academy (Japan). Many of his recordings cover the madrigals of Monteverdi. ~ Robert Adelson