Opéra de Lausanne

At Opéra de Lausanne : Giulio Cesare (April 2008), L'Italiana in Algeri (November-December 2010).

Graduated in organ and harpsichord at the Giuseppe Verdi Conservatory in Milan, Ottavio Dantone started a successful concert career at a very young age, concentrating on ancient music. He was the first Italian performer to obtain the first prize in two of the most important harpsichord competitions in the world: the International Competition of Paris (1985) and the International Competition of Bruges (1986).

In 1996 he was appointed Musical Director of the Accademia Bizantina Orchestra, based in Ravenna. He has also made regular collaborations with other important orchestral institutions (using both ancient and modern instruments) such as Staatskapelle Berlin, the Pomeriggi Musicali di Milano, the ORT Orchestra della Toscana, the Orchestra Haydn of Bolzano, the WDR Orchester in Koeln, the Orchestra dell’Accademia di Santa Cecilia di Roma, the Orchestra of the Teatro Real de Madrid, the Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala and the Orchestra del Teatro La Fenice di Venezia.

In March 1999 he made his successful operatic debut conducting the world première of Giulio Sabino by Giuseppe Sarti at the Teatro Alighieri di Ravenna (with the Accademia Bizantina).

With the Accademia Bizantina he has led acclaimed performances in such concert halls as Philarmonie and Konzerthaus in Berlin, Barbican Center in London, Konzerthaus in Wien, Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Cité de la Musique de Paris, Théâtre des Champs Elysées de Paris, Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome, Festival de Musique de Montreux-Vevey, lnternational Music Festival in Istanbul, Metropolitan Museum in New York, Auditorium del Lingotto in Torino, Ravenna Festival, Bologna Festival and Accademia Chigiana in Siena.

He just opened the 2011-12 season conducting Rinaldo at the Glyndebourne Opera Festival and at the Royal Albert Hall in London, followed by L’Italiana in Algeri in Oviedo.

Among his future plans are Rinaldo at the Ravenna Festival, Médée at the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía in Valencia, Alcina at the Opéra de Lausanne and Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic.

He will conduct on the podium of the following orchestras: Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra of San Francisco, Orchestre National de Lyon, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Orchestra Haydn of Bolzano, Orchestra Sinfonica della Rai di Torino, Orchestra Filarmonica della Scala, Philharmoniker Orchestra in Hamburg and Dallas Symphony Orchestra

His recent engagements include Il viaggio a Reims, Così fan tutte and Rinaldo at the Teatro alla Scala, Rinaldo at the Glyndebourne Opera Festival and at the Royal Albert Hall in London, L’Arbore di Diana at the Teatro Real di Madrid, Una cosa rara at the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía in Valencia, L’Italiana in Algeri at the Staatsoper in Berlin and at the Opéra de Lausanne, Giulio Cesare at the Teatro Comunale di Ferarra and Modena,  Juditha Triumphans at the Teatro La Fenice in Venice, Così fan tutte in Strasburg, Adriano in Siria in Jesi, Händel’s Messiah in Antwerp, Tito Manlio at the Barbican Centre in London and Dortmund, Giulio Cesare at the Opéra de Lausanne, Orlando and Rinaldo at the Beaune Festival, Le nozze di Teti e Peleo and L’Edipo Colono at the Rossini Opera Festival di Pesaro, Ascanio in Alba at the Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Die Entführung aus dem Serail at the Teatro Piccinni di Bari and at the Teatro Verdi di Trieste.

He led important productions including Nina, ossia la pazza per amore by Paisiello at the Teatro alla Scala, Piccolo Teatro in Milan and Ravenna Festival, Le Comte Ory, Così fan tutte at the Theaters of the Circuito lirico lombardo, L’Olimpiade in Jesi, Ravenna, Modena, Piacenza and Reggio Emilia. He has had a remarkable success conducting Marin Faliero (with Mariella Devia and Michele Pertusi) at the Teatro Regio in Parma, where he also conducted Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater. His successful performance also include Il matrimonio segreto at the Teatro Massimo di Palermo, L’Orlando at the Teatro Aligheri in Ravenna and at the Teatro Valli in Reggio Emilia, Orfeo, Il ritorno di Ulisse in patria and L’incoronazione di Poppea at the Teatro Ponchielli in Cremona, Teatro Grande in Brescia, Teatro Fraschini di Pavia and Teatro Sociale in Como.

He has realized many radio and television recordings in Italy and abroad. His discographic releases (as soloist and as conductor) won several international awards. Since 2003 he regularly records for both Decca and Naïve.
He regularly makes advanced courses of harpsichord, chamber music and basso continuo.