About the Director

Žak Ozmo is a music director, lutenist, and scholar currently based in London. He is the founder-director of L'Avventura London, which he directs in critically-acclaimed performances at some of the world’s most renowned festivals, concert halls, and royal residences.

Hailed by Classical Music magazine as an 'expert on early plucked instruments' Žak has performed as a continuo player, chamber musician, and as a soloist across Europe, North America, and Asia on the archlute, theorbo, Renaissance lute, and Baroque guitar. His performances include engagements with some of the world's finest ensembles, while currently much of his focus is on working with L'Avventura, in addition to appearances as a guest director of various ensembles, orchestras, and opera companies internationally. Upcoming projects include musical direction of Henry Purcell's Dido and Aeneas for Opera Memphis, appearance as a guest director of Concerto Köln and the Toronto Consort, as well as a solo recording of equally-tempered music by Vincenzo Galilei with Hyperion Records.

Žak’s long-standing interest in reviving 17th-and 18th theatrical practices and repertoire has resulted in critically acclaimed modern premiere performances of Henry Fielding’s ballad opera The Lottery (‘…a living document, a biting satire for the 21st century’ – BBC Radio 3), which he conducted from his own editions and musical arrangements at Bury Court Opera (UK), as well as a critical edition (with Vanessa L Rogers and Berta Joncus) of Isaac Bickerstaffe’ Love in a Village, published by OPERA/Bärenreiter in 2020.

In addition to his busy performing schedule, Žak was Director of Early Music at the University of Hull. He has also been active as a lecturer in various aspects of historical performance practice, ensemble coach, and lute teacher at the Royal College of Music in London, University of Southern California in Los Angeles, Rhodes College, and the University of California at Fullerton. His writings on historical performance practice have been translated into French, German, Spanish, and Korean, while he frequently presents his research at conferences in Europe and North America. Žak is also the founder-director of Opella Nova Records, and the London Community Baroque Orchestra.

Žak holds a doctorate in early music performance from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, and has completed postdoctoral studies in the same area from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London.

Read more on www.zakozmo.com

About L'Avventura London

L'Avventura London, founded and directed by Žak Ozmo, is a period-instrument ensemble dedicated to the exploration of Western musical repertoire from the sixteenth through eighteenth centuries. Through a combination of brilliant virtuosity, passion, unbridled dramaticism, and an extensive knowledge of historical performance practice and its repertoire, L’Avventura London seeks to bring the joy of a new musical adventure to its rapidly growing audiences. Testifying to the ensemble’s rapid rise since its formation in 2009, L’Avventura’s performances, both live and recorded, have been broadcast on BBC Radio 3, American NPR, Canadian CBC, Australian ABC Classic FM, German KulturRadio and MDR Figaro, Austrian ORF Radio Ö1, Belgium Radio Klara, Spanish Catalunya Radio and Russian Classic FM, among others; the press has praised the group for its ‘excellent musicianship’ and 'an admirable understanding of Baroque performance conventions' (Gramophone), and described its performances as ‘engaging, entertaining…an enormous amount of atmosphere and character’ (Opera News). The majority of L’Avventura’s concert programmes is based on Žak’s original research, his performing editions, and arrangements, and regularly includes modern debuts of forgotten musical treasures, along with fresh takes on more familiar and much-loved masterpieces.

L’Avventura’s appearances include major festivals across the United Kingdom L'Avventura's appearances include major festivals across the United Kingdom (including the York Early Music Festival, Lufthansa Festival of Baroque Music, Brighton Early Music Festival, Spitalfields Summer Music Festival, Petworth Festival, Cheltenham Music Festival, York Christmas Early Music Festival, and Gregynog Festival) and international performances in some of the world’s best known venues including the Kölner Philharmonie in Cologne, Grande Auditório Calouste Gulbenkian in Lisbon, the Queen’s Hall in Edinburgh, among others. In 2014 Žak conducted L’Avventura London Orchestra, joined by the celebrated soprano Dame Emma Kirkby, countertenor Michael Chance, and the choir Chapelle du Roi, in a performance at the Queen’s Chapel, St. James's Palace, celebrating the three-hundredth anniversary of the ascension of the British royal family to the throne.

This exciting chamber ensemble varies in size based on its current project, and on occasion expands into a full-size orchestra. L'Avventura London regularly works with singers and other guest artists, and consists of some of the most talented and innovative musicians from the professional London early music circle.

L’Avventura currently records for Hyperion and Opella Nova Records.

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