Bold. Brave. Brilliant.

Arizona Opera Cast Members & Creatives

Francesco Milioto

A rising star in the younger generation of conductors, Francesco Milioto is forging a unique career as a versatile interpreter of both the operatic and orchestral repertoire. Praised for his energy and integrity on the podium, The Chicago Tribune has said, “Milioto presided with Bernsteinesque bravura”.

Mr. Milioto enjoys relationships with a wide variety of ensembles, and cover/assistant conductor positions with several distinguished organizations. This season marked his successful debut with the Illinois Philharmonic, to which he will return this spring with an innovative student program featuring Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony. In November, Mr. Milioto stepped in at the last moment to conduct five education performances of Mozart’s Bastein and Bastienne with the Dallas Opera. He will also conduct the finals of the Emilio del Rosario International Piano Competition in Chicago this May. The 2017/18 season will see Mr. Milioto make his debut with the Arizona Opera conducting The Barber of Seville.

As a music director and guest conductor Mr. Milioto has thrived in Chicago and beyond. Over his fifteen years in Chicago he has claimed the title of Music Director to the New Millennium Orchestra, the Skokie Valley Symphony, the Highland Park Strings, Access Contemporary Music, and the Chicago Cultural Center Summer Opera. As a guest conductor he has amassed several critically acclaimed productions with Chicago Opera Theater and has collaborated with many professional local orchestras. His work with the New Millennium Orchestra and Chicago Opera Theater were each named to the Chicago Sun-Times list of the “10 best performances of the year”. Mr. Milioto is particularly proud of his work with the New Millennium Orchestra of Chicago, which he co-found in 2005. The NMO had an incredible range of repertoire, playing everything from classical music and opera to collaborations with jazz and hip-hop artists. His highly acclaimed work over ten seasons with both the Highland Park Strings and Skokie Valley Symphony Orchestra ranged from early music to the most contemporary works, and often featured world-renowned soloists. As Artistic Director/Conductor of Access Contemporary Music, Mr. Milioto led the brilliantly vibrant ensemble Palomar, which has been featured on the radio and in performances throughout the city and abroad. He has also conducted successful productions with Opera Santa Barbara, Opera Southwest, Elgin Opera, and Opera on the James.

As a cover/assistant conductor, Mr. Milioto has flourished under world-class mentorship. He is currently in his fourth season at Lyric Opera of Chicago where he will work on productions of The Magic Flute and Eugene Onegin. Mr. Milioto has been fortunate enough to work closely with Sir Andrew Davis, and other luminaries, on several operas and concerts. Later this season Mr. Milioto returns to his hometown of Toronto where he will assist on a production of Tosca with the Canadian Opera Company. This summer will mark his third with The Santa Fe Opera, where he will work closely with Emmanuel Villaume on Rimsky-Korsakov’s The Golden Cockerel. Following last summer’s success in Santa Fe with La Fanciulla del West, Maestro Villaume invited Mr. Milioto to assist him on the Dallas Opera’s revival of Moby Dick earlier this season. For 10 seasons Mr. Milioto worked with the Ravinia Festival as an assistant conductor, pianist, vocal coach and prompter being involved in over a dozen operas, and many concerts with such artists as Daniel Barenboim and James Conlon.

Performances

Past Seasons