Estonian Early Music ensemble Floridante was founded in Tallinn in 2014. Grounded on two core members – harpsichordist Saale Fischer and viola da gamba and cello player Villu Vihermäe – Floridante’s line-up varies in accordance with the repertoire, reaching from Renaissance to premieres of contemporary pieces. Among others, a program of yet undiscovered Baltic-German lied-composers was undertaken in cooperation with the Estonian National Library.

Floridante involves a few dozen Estonian musicians with a passion for Early Music – in addition to various chamber formations, Floridante Baroque Orchestra was launched in 2020, and Floridante Consort vocal ensemble in 2021. Floridante regularly collaborates with Estonian vocal soloists such as sopranos Maria Valdmaa and Maria Listra, mezzo-sopranos Kadri Tegelmann and Tuuri Dede, baritone Alvar Tiisler, and oftentimes engages violinists Anthony Marini (US/FI), Aira Maria Lehtipuu (FI), and Peter Spissky (SK/DK). 

Over the years, Floridante has gained a prominent position in the Estonian classical music scene and has been performing at numerous festivals in and out of its native country. Since 2015, Floridante is the ensemble-in-residence and collaborative partner at the Haapsalu Early Music Festival. In 2019, the debut CD “Amarilli mia bella” was released by Estonian Record Production, likewise, several Floridante concerts have been live-broadcasted or recorded by the Estonian National Broadcasting.

In 2022, Floridante premiered its program of ‘Estonian Baroque’ at the Usedomer Musikfestival (recorded by NDR) together with Marco Ambrosini (nyckelharpa). In 2023, Floridante participated in the production of Claudio Monteverdi’s lost opera “Arianna”, reconstructed by Andrew Lawrence-King and performed alongside the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir. In the same year, Floridante launched a long-term project “Estonian miniatures”, commissioning works by Estonian composers for historical instruments.

The highlights of 2024 include crossover production “Re-Sound Love” alongside hiphop artist Genka and DJ Paul Oja, a recording session with tenor Guy Cutting and baritone Alvar Tiisler for Brilliant Classics, performances of commissioned pieces for historical instruments by Estonian composers Ardo Ran Varres, Evelin Seppar, Märt-Matis Lill, Mingo Rajandi, and participation in several festivals in Estonia, Latvia, Israel, Finland, and Poland.

Floridante is a member of the Estonian Music Council and Music Estonia.