“Francesco Milioto presides with verve and bite!”“Conductor Francesco Milioto elicited orchestral playing for both operas that was polished, sympathetic and wholly idiomatic.”
Francesco Milioto continues to establish himself in the opera industry as an incredibly gifted "singer’s" conductor. His interpretation of each score is fueled by deep curiosity, and executed with a philosophy of collaboration.
Maestro Milioto currently serves as Music Director of OPERA San Antonio, The Florentine Opera, and Holy City Arts and Lyric Opera in Charleston, SC. Mr. Milioto's most recent acclaimed performances, outside his home companies, include productions at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, The Atlanta Opera, Arizona Opera and Tulsa Opera. He is currently a member of the music staff at the world-renowned Lyric Opera of Chicago.
Following his successful performances of Aida at Lyric Opera of Chicago this past spring, Mr. Milioto begins the 2024-25 season by continuing his work at LOC as cover conductor for the opening production of Rigoletto. He will then continue into his third season as Music Director of the Florentine Opera where he will lead productions of Madama Butterfly and Carmen, as well as Handel’s Acis and Galatea, which he will conduct from the harpsichord. In San Antonio, Maestro Milioto returns to lead Ballet San Antonio’s performances of The Nutcracker and OPERA San Antonio’s production of Madama Butterfly, both in collaboration with Classical Music Institute. This season also includes his debut at Kentucky Opera conducting their production of Madama Butterfly, and he will lead the DePaul Symphony Orchestra for the first time in a program this winter.
Maestro Milioto is an avid coach and much sought after master teacher. In addition to his work with young artists at OPERA San Antonio and The Florentine Opera, he will return for a series of masterclasses with the Detroit Opera Studio.
As a music director and guest conductor Mr. Milioto has thrived in Chicago and beyond. Over his many years in Chicago, he claimed the title of Music Director to the New Millennium Orchestra, the Skokie Valley Symphony Orchestra, the Highland Park Strings, Access Contemporary Music, and the Chicago Cultural Center Summer Opera. As a guest conductor, he has amassed several critically acclaimed productions with Chicago Opera Theater and has collaborated with many professional local orchestras. His work with the New Millennium Orchestra and Chicago Opera Theater were each named to the Chicago Sun-Times list of the “10 best performances of the year.” Mr. Milioto is particularly proud of his work with the New Millennium Orchestra of Chicago, which he co-founded in 2005. The NMO had an incredible range of repertoire, playing everything from classical music and opera to collaborations with jazz and hip-hop artists. His highly acclaimed work over ten seasons with both the Highland Park Strings and Skokie Valley Symphony Orchestra ranged from early music to contemporary works and often featured world-renowned soloists. As Artistic Director/Conductor of Access Contemporary Music, Mr. Milioto led the brilliantly vibrant ensemble Palomar which has been featured on the radio and in performances throughout the city and abroad. He has also conducted successful productions with The Atlanta Opera, Arizona Opera, Tulsa Opera, Opera Santa Barbara, Opera Southwest, Elgin Opera, and Opera on the James in Lynchburg Va.
As an assistant/cover conductor, Mr. Milioto flourished under world-class mentorship. As a member of the music staff of the Lyric Opera of Chicago since 2013, he has had the pleasure of working on many incredible productions and concerts with the likes of Sir Andrew Davis, Enrique Mazzola, Jakub Hrusa, Marco Armiliato, and Edward Gardner. He was also a member of the music staff at the Santa Fe Opera, the Bregenz Festival, the Canadian Opera Company, and The Dallas Opera. For over 10 years Mr. Milioto worked at the Ravinia Festival as an assistant conductor, prompter, pianist, and vocal coach, and was involved in over a dozen operas and countless concerts with such artists as James Conlon and Daniel Barenboim.
Mr. Milioto is a first generation Italian-Canadian and was born in Toronto. He began playing the piano at age seven and continued his early musical education at the Royal Conservatory of Music. He has earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Piano Performance from the University of Western Ontario and a double Master’s Degree in Orchestral Conducting and Opera Repetition from McGill University.
