Founded in Florence in 1980, at the initiative of the Regione Toscana, the Province and the Municipality of Florence, ORT is considered one of the best orchestras in Italy.

In 1983, under the artistic direction of Luciano Berio, it was recognised by the Ministry of Tourism and Entertainment as an Orchestral Concert Institution. The average staff consists of 44 musicians who are also divided into agile chamber music ensembles. The Orchestra is based in Florence in the historic Teatro Verdi, where it puts on its seasonal concerts, concerts which are then distributed throughout Tuscany. Today it is under the artistic direction of Daniele Spini, appointed in February of 2023; the principal conductor is Diego Ceretta.
The orchestra performs regularly throughout Italy, many times a guest of the Lingotto Auditorium of Turin, as well as the Teatro alla Scala, the Academy of Santa Cecilia in Rome, as well as in some of the most important European and overseas concert halls, from Carnegie Hall in New York to the Teatro Coliseo in Buenos Aires, and also Halls in Hong Kong and Japan.
Its artistic history is marked by the presence of and collaboration with famous musicians such as Salvatore Accardo, Martha Argerich, Rudolf Barshai, Yuri Bashmet, Frans Brüggen, James Conlon, its honorary Conductor, Myung-Whun Chung, Gianandrea Gavazzeni, Gianluigi Gelmetti, Daniel Harding, Eliahu Inbal, Yo-Yo Ma, Emmanuel Pahud, Daniele Rustioni, who has also been Music Director and Artistic Director and who is now Conductor Emeritus, and Uto Ughi.
The ORT is distinguished by the excellence of the musicians who perform in it, and it is a versatile interpreter of a wide repertoire, from Baroque to Classicism, from Romanticism to the historical twentieth century, with a particular focus on contemporary music, an aspect which has led it to participate in important events such as the Venice Music Biennale and the Strasbourg Music Festival.
The ORT conceived and created the “Play It!” Festival dedicated to Italian music of our times; this Festival received the “Franco Abbiati” Music Critics’ Award in 2014 as the best initiative.
Its concerts are broadcast on Rai Radio Tre and Rete Toscana Classica; it has recorded for Emi, Ricordi, Agorà, VDM Records, Sony Classical, Warner Music Italia, NovAngiqua Records and Dynamic.