Ermanno Florio

The Canadian-Italian conductor Ermanno Florio (1954, Carapelle, Italy) studied conducting at the University of Toronto (Canada) with Sir Andrew Davis. He continued his studies at the famous Toho Gakuen Music School in Japan, and with Franco Ferrara and Sergiu Celibidache. Since 1977, Ermanno Florio has been working as a conductor of symphonic music, opera and ballet. He has conducted many operas and ballets in nearly all the big opera houses and theatres, including Teatro alla Scala (Milan), The Royal Opera House (London),  Opéra Bastille (Paris), The Metropolitan Opera (New York) and The Kennedy Center (Washington).

From 1985 to 1990, Florio was associated with the National Ballet of Canada as conductor/musical director. In 1992, he was appointed musical director of Houston Ballet, and from 1998 to 2001 he was musical director of American Ballet Theatre. From 2004, he combined his post as musical director of Houston Ballet with that of musical director of Dutch National Ballet. Ermanno Florio is also active as a guest conductor.

Until 2013, Florio was head of the musical staff of Dutch National Ballet and conducted a great many productions for the company, including nearly all the full-length classical ballets. Since 2013, he has been associated with the company as principal guest conductor.