About this Artist
BENEDETTO LUPO has been described by critics as an “exceptionally fine pianist... who has a remarkably fine touch and beautiful tone control” (The Oregonian). Praised for his “keen musical intelligence and probing intellect” (Miami Herald), and for combining “meticulous technique with romantic sensitivity” (Birmingham News), he has gained worldwide recognition. After winning the bronze medal in the 1989 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, he made acclaimed debuts with several major American orchestras, as well as chamber appearances with the Tokyo String Quartet. His New York City recital debut at Alice Tully Hall followed in 1992, the same year he won the Terence Judd International Award, which in turn led to his debut at London’s Wigmore Hall.
2011/2012 features two impressive firsts. He performs Mozart’s Concerto K. 456 in his Tanglewood Festival debut, and later joins the Los Angeles Philharmonic for the first time. Other highlights include the Montreal Symphony, Vancouver Symphony, Calgary Philharmonic, and the Malaysian Philharmonic. In his native Italy he can be heard with the Verdi Orchestra in Milan, National RAI Orchestra in Turin, and the festivals of Brescia and Bergamo.
Lupo’s last season focused on three anniversaries: He celebrated Liszt’s 200th birthday by performing the Concerto No. 1 and Totentanz with the Gewandhaus Orchestra in Leipzig, Verdi Orchestra in Milan, and the Austin Symphony. As a prominent proponent of Nino Rota he played the Concerto Soirée on the occasion of the composer’s 100th birthday with the Spanish National Orchestra in Madrid as well as other European orchestras. And he joined other noted pianists in celebration of the Liege Philharmonic’s 50th anniversary. Other appearances during the season brought him together with the NWD Philharmonie, Northern Sinfonia, Les Violons du Roy, and the symphonies of Bilbao, Lecce, and Phoenix.
The 2009/2010 season continued the array of debuts with key orchestras in the U.S. He made his debut with the Philadelphia Orchestra under Jurowski, as well as the symphonies of Colorado, San Antonio, Virginia, and Kansas City. Overseas, he was heard with the Stuttgart Philharmonic, the Santa Cecilia Orchestra in Rome under Kent Nagano, the Orchestra Verdi in Milan, and on a tour of the Tuscany region with the ORT Orchestra. Other concert appearances included San Remo (Italy), Limburg (Netherlands), Odense (Denmark), and with the Orquesta Sinfónica de Navarra (Spain).
Season 2008/2009 brought two more milestones in his career: his New York orchestral debut with the Mostly Mozart Festival and a subscription debut with the Chicago Symphony. He also appeared with the Eugene Symphony, and in Europe with the Liège Philharmonic, the Rotterdam Philharmonic and several Italian orchestras, as well as in a recital tour across Italy.
During 2007/2008 he reunited with the Gewandhaus Orchestra in Leipzig under Vladimir Jurowski, performing Ravel’s Concerto for the Left Hand, and later performed Ravel’s other piano concerto with the London Philharmonic at Royal Festival Hall. He also appeared with the Bilbao Symphony, Aarhus Symphony, Stuttgart Philharmonic in Milan, and the RAI Orchestra in Turin. In the U.S., he collaborated with the symphonies of Sarasota, Honolulu, Austin, and Alabama.
Prior highlights included the Cliburn Concert Series in Ft. Worth, the opening of the Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli Festival of Brescia and Bergamo with Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy under Sir Neville Marriner, and touring with the London Philharmonic under Vladimir Jurowski to Bucharest, Merano, Verona, and Zagreb. He also appeared repeatedly with the symphonies of Montreal, Vancouver, Seattle, St. Louis, Utah, Oregon, Columbus, Jacksonville, Louisiana, Huntsville, and the Hallé, Bergen (Norway), and Slovak philharmonic orchestras. He performed at numerous music festivals worldwide, including the Tivoli in Copenhagen, the Villa Medici in Rome, the Chopin Festival in Poland, the Schubert Festivals in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, and Chicago’s Grant Park Festival.
His recordings include an acclaimed version of Nino Rota’s Concerto Soirée with the Orchestra Sinfonica Siciliana on the Nuova Era label, and a new recording of the same work on Harmonia Mundi for which he received the Diapason d’Or award. With Peter Maag and the RSI Symphony Orchestra he has recorded Schumann’s complete works for piano and orchestra, including the first CD recording of the piano version of Konzertstück, Op. 86, for the Arts label.
Benedetto Lupo teaches at the Nino Rota Conservatory in Italy, gives master classes around the world, and has served on the jury of both the Cleveland International Competition and the Gina Bachauer Competition in Salt Lake City, from which he previously won second and third prize, respectively. He is featured on the Emmy-winning documentary Here to Make Music: The Eighth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition and the seven-part series Encore! The Final Round of Performances of the Eighth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, both for PBS.