Ottavio Dantone

Italian harpsichordist and conductor Ottavio Dantone was born in Cerignola on October 9, 1960. After graduating in organ and harpsichord at Milan's Verdi Conservatory, he was awarded the basso continuo prize at the Paris International Festival in 1985, followed by an award at the Bruges Festival. In 1996, he became musical director of the Ravenna-based Accademia Bizantina, which has followed him throughout his recording career specializing in Baroque music. After debuting with harpsichord sonatas, he went on to conduct a large number of works by Bach, Handel, Vivaldi, Haydn, Scarlatti, Corelli and Rossini(Petite Messe solennelle). In 2005, he conducted Handel's opera Rinaldo at La Scala in Milan, plus at the Glyndebourne Festival in 2011. With his ensemble, renowned for the quality of its interpretations, he has recorded successively for the Arts Music, Decca, L'Oiseau-Lyre, Onyx and Naïve labels. Ottavio Dantone's recordings feature collaborations with such artists as Andreas Scholl, Sonia Prina, Giuliano Carmignola, Stefano Montanari, Viktoria Mullova, Karina Gauvin, Sandrine Piau, Ann Hallenberg, Julia Lezhneva and his partner, contralto Delphine Galou.