After receiving a degree in organ and harpsichord at the Giuseppe Verdi Conservatory in Milan, he began his concert career at a very young age and quickly rose to prominence among critics as one of the most experienced and talented harpsichord players of his generation.
In 1985 he won the basso continuo prize at the Paris International Competition and in 1986 he won the Bruges International Competition.
Deeply knowledgeable about Baroque performance practices, he has served as the Musical Director of the Byzantine Academy of Ravenna since 1996, having collaborated with the academy since 1989. Under his leadership, the Byzantine Academy established itself as one of the most respected Baroque music ensembles using period instruments on the international scene.
Over the past twenty years, Ottavio Dantone has gradually expanded his career to include conducting, in addition to his work as a soloist and leader of chamber music groups, broadening his repertoire to encompass the Classical and Romantic periods.
He made his conducting debut in 1999 with the modern-era premiere of Giuseppe Sarti's Giulio Sabino at the Teatro Alighieri in Ravenna, performing with his ensemble, Academia Bizantina.
Since then, his career has included reviving rarely performed works and world premieres at some of the most prestigious festivals and theatres, such as Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Glyndebourne Opera Festival, Teatro Real in Madrid, Opéra Royale Versailles, Opera Zurich, and the London Proms.
As both a soloist and conductor, he has recorded with leading record labels such as Decca, Deutsche Grammophon, Naïve, and Harmonia Mundi, receiving numerous prestigious awards and accolades from international critics.
Image: ©Giulia Papetti