Cappella dell’ Ospedale della Pietà is a baroque orchestra based on the model of the famous Antonio Vivaldi orchestra in Venice. Cappella dell’Ospedale della Pietà is no ordinary orchestra, but the only orchestra in the world comprising young talented women. It is based on the model of the orchestra from the 18th century, founded at a shelter for orphaned girls in Venice. The prestigious orchestra was promoted and developed by Antonio Vivaldi - "Maestro di Violino e di Coro" himself. Vivaldi's extraordinary compositions as well as the exceptional artistic level contributed to Cappella dell’Ospedale della Pietà fame throughout Europe as well as being recognized as one of the best orchestras worldwide. Stefan Plewniak a graduate from Conservatories in Krakow, Maastricht and Paris initiated the revival of Cappella dell’Ospedale della Pietà in 2013. Capella dell’Ospedale della Pietà comprises young, passionate, international musicians from Italy, Poland, Austria, France and Belarus, specialized in playing on period instruments. Cappella dell’Ospedale della Pietà's goal is to perform music by Antonio Vivaldi and Venetian masters. During the past two years the orchestra has been invited to perform in Germany, Austria, Slovenia. In the near future performances are planned in other European countries as well as the USA. Concerts by Cappella dell’Ospedale della Pietà are characterized by an unique atmosphere, high artistic level, a particular sound idiom and an incredible energy.

Stefan Plewniak - violinist and conductor, received his training in is hometown, Krakow, where he studied with prof. B. Śliwicka-Wysocka at the Krakow Academy of Music. He continued his studies with prof. I.Strauss in Prague Music Academy, prof. R. Szreder at Maastricht Conservatory and prof F. Fernandez at Conservatoire National Superieur de Musique et de Danse in Paris.

His interest in baroque music was sparked during collaboration with Les Gôuts Reunis ensemble in the Netherlands. Subsequently, he has performed with many significant ensembles and orchestras, such as Kammeroper Köln, Warsaw Polish Radio Orchestra and Amsterdam Symphony Orchestra.

He collaborated with many renowned ensembles as a concertmaster in den Hague, Paris and Salzburg. He also cooperated with leading orchestras in Europe such as William Christie's Les Arts Florissants in Paris and Jordi Savall's Le Concert des Nations in Barcelona.

He is the founder of Il Giardino d'Amore orchestra in Vienna/ Cracow and Capella dell’ Ospedale della Pietà in Venice. In 2016 he founded new symphony orchestra The FeelHarmony.

He appeared as a soloist and leader at many important festivals in Europe, USA and China, among others Oude Muzik Festival Utrecht, Bach Festival Vienna, Tartini Festival Pirano, Styriarte Festival Graz, Early Music Celebration New York. He made his debut as a soloist in Mozarteum Salzburg and New York Carnegie Hall in 2014. Stefan Plewniak regularly presents masterclasses in Oslo, Norway as well as at the University of South California in L.A. and San Diego.

He is specializing in the opera and ballet repertoire.

NATALIA KAWALEK - mezzosoprano An opera singer, born in 1987 in Poland. She graduated at the Frederic Chopin University of Music in Warsaw (class of Professor Izabella Kłosinska) and in Rome at Conservatorio di Santa Cecilia (with Rebecca Berg and Sara Mingardo) as part of the Erasmus exchange programme. Afterwards she continued studies at the University of Music in Vienna under Professor Claudia Visca. In 2012 she won 3rd price and the Audience Price at the International Baroque Opera Competition Pietro Antonio Cesti in Innsbruck (Austria). She is also the winner of 2nd price and many special awards on Internationaler Hilde Zadek Gesangswettbewerb 2013 in Vienna. From saison 2014/2015 she was a member of Junges Ensemble at Theater an der Wien. Her repertoire is very wide, from the music of late renaissance, through baroque operas and chamber music, to contemporary and experimental projects. Her greatest passion however is opera. The most significant recent stage appearences were Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro at Glyndebourne Festival, Carmen in Kammeroper Wien, Virtu in L'incoronazione di Poppea of C. Monteverdi in Theater an der Wien. During last couple of seasons she had chance to colaborate with prominent conductors like Alessandro de Marchi, Andreas Spering, Jean Christoph Spinosi, Mikhail Tatarnikov, Jan T. Adamus and excellent stage directors like Christoph Loy, Klaus Guth, Christiane Lutz, Thorstein Fisher, Jean Renshaw. Next seasons include engagements in Theater an der Wien and Teatr Wielki in Warsaw. Natalia is cooperating regularily with ensembles Il Giardino d’Amore, Cappella Cracoviensis and Ensemble Matheus.

Polish countertenor Jakub Józef Orliński has gained a reputation as a singer of striking vocal beauty and daring stage craft. Trained at The Juilliard School and the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw, he participated in the prestigious young artist program Opera Academy at Teatr Wielki - Opera Narodowa. He is a Grand Finals winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and the first place winner of the Marcella Sembrich International Vocal Compeition.

An avid interpreter of the roles of Handel, Mr. Orlinki has performed in Europe and the United States in a wide range of repertoire spanning early music to modern compostitions. He has triumphed in many vocal competitions including the Moniuszko Vocal Competition, the International Early Music Vocal Competition, and the Mazovian Golden Voices Competition in Poland, Rudolf Petrák’s Singing Competition in Slovakia, the Debut Competition in Germany, and Le Grand Prix de l’Opera in Bucharest, Romania. He was the first counter tenor to win the Oratorio Society of New York’s Solo Competition.

In his spare time, Mr. Orliński enjoys breakdancing, in addition to other styles of dance. His achievements in this medium include prizes in many dance competitions. He has been featured in videos for the street wear company CROPP, as well as featured as a dancer, model and acrobat in campaigns for Levi’s, Nike, Turbokolor, Samsung, Mercedes-Benz, MAC Cosmetics, Danon, and Algida

MIRIAM ALBANO - mezzosoprano Miriam Albano was born in 1991 in Venice. In her early youth, Miriam began studying violin at the Conservatory of Venice. In 2011, she graduated from that institute in the field of Voice (Belcanto) with the highest honours and cum laude, under the guidance of Stella Silva. Shortly afterwards, she sang for the “Festival Galuppi” at the Apollinee Rooms of Teatro La Fenice. In the same year she performed with La Fenice’s Orchestra as a soloist. Later on, she collaborated with the ensemble “Il Gene Barocco” in Switzerland for the New Year Music Festival of Gstaad, singing songs by Monteverdi, Caldara and Vivaldi. In 2012 she portrayed the role of Amor in C.W.Gluck’s “Orpheus and Eurydice” at the Teatro Malibran. At la Fenice, she performed for the Festival Monteverdi Vivaldi. In 2013 she gave her first Lieder Recital for the Artistic Circle of Ducal Palace’s prisons, in Venice. She made her debut as Cherubino in “Le Nozze di Figaro” at the Schlosstheater Schönbrunn in Vienna. She sang for the Beethoven Center in Vienna. In 2014 she won the second prize in the international singing competition “Ferruccio Tagliavini”, and was a finalist in the International Osaka Competition 2014. She sang Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater in the Scuola Grande of San Marco in Venice with the Vivaldi Orchestra. In Vienna’s Radio Kultur Haus she presented, under the musical direction of Leopold Hager, Les nuits d ́ete Op.7 by Hector Berlioz. Miriam Albano received the prize of the Centre de Music baroque de Versailles in the 5th International Baroque Singing Competition Pietro Antonio Cesti in Innsbruck. Since 2012, she has been perfecting her craft under the guidance of Prof. Claudia Visca at the University for Music and Performing Arts in Vienna. Recently in 2015 she won the most important international vocal competition in Germany - Neue Stimmen. Since 2016 she is the youngest soloist of the Staatsoper Wien.