Filippo Ciabatti Appointed Opera Company of Middlebury Music Director

Opera Company of Middlebury has named Filippo Ciabatti its new resident music director. On the heels of Ciabatti's tenure as interim music director this year, during which he conducted well-received productions of Beethoven's Fidelio and Tom Cipullo's Glory Denied, he has now been awarded a three-year renewable contract on the Middlebury podium.

"It's well-known that Filippo is a consummate musician, but he's also a perfect fit for our company," enthused Artistic Director Douglas Anderson in the Broadway World announcement. "He's a warm, supportive soul, offering nothing but good vibes to musicians and singers alike. He creates a joyful spirit in the rehearsal room. I love his sense of humor and his approach to the work, and look forward to many more seasons working with him."

Ciabatti's baton is much in demand in New England, and the Middlebury appointment makes his conducting calendar all the more impressive. At the Hopkins Center, Ciabatti is the director of choral and orchestral programs, helming the Dartmouth Symphony Orchestra, Dartmouth College Glee Club, and the Handel Society; in Lebanon, N.H., he is Upper Valley Baroque's artistic director. In March of this year, he was appointed assistant conductor at Boston Baroque. And Ciabatti lectures in the Department of Music, offering courses on conducting and musical direction.