Formed in 2015, the Opalio Piano Quintet is comprised of five world-renowned musicians from Italy, Ireland/France, Colombia, Venezuela, and Switzerland. Praised for their sensitivity, risk-taking, and passion, the ensemble specializes in performing a wide range of piano and string chamber music, from quintets to quartets to sonatas.

In just a few short years, the ensemble has already won numerous international awards and accolades, including first prize at the "HSM Duo-Wettbewerb" in Basel, second prize at the "Orpheus Competition" in Bern, and finalist positions at the "Ysaye International Competition" in Belgium and the "International Chamber Music Competition" in Pinerolo, Italy.

The ensemble has also toured extensively throughout Switzerland, France, Italy, and Ireland, earning rave reviews from audiences and critics alike. In 2019, they were invited by Sir András Schiff to perform at the Beethoven Festival in Bonn.

As a Quintet they have premiered commissioned works, including Stephanie Haensler's "Auf tritt und schritt" for piano quintet and Aram Hovhanisyan's "Inter(re)actions" for piano trio. They have performed at prestigious festivals such as the Engadin Festival, Davos Festival, and Basel Altstadtserenaden, as well as at Music for Galway and Spotlight Chamber Music Series in Ireland.

The Opalio Piano Quintet was invited for two consecutive years to the highly esteemed Davos Festival, where they performed with great success Thomas Adès' Quintet, one of the most acclaimed pieces in modern piano quintet repertoire. Thanks to their unique and engaging interpretation, the ensemble left the audience speechless and earned the praise of music critics.

​

​

“The Opalio Piano Quintet, founded in Basel in 2015, plays the weighty, complex piece of Weinberg Quintet for the first time and amazes with great, deep emotion, but also enormous precision and a spacious vision of the piece” . (Klaus Kalchschmid, crescendo.de)

 

​

The Opalio Piano Quintet is also committed to nurturing the next generation of musicians through masterclasses, workshops, and concert-lessons. Several members of the ensemble already serve as assistants in individual instrument and chamber music at the University of Music in Basel.

Since 2022 the Opalio Piano Quintet is group in residence at the Vittorio Veneto Chamber Music Festival that takes place every year. They bring together world class chamber musician for a week-end in the enchanting town of Vittorio Veneto.