





Hailed by international critics as one of the most superb and interesting talents of his generation, Benedetto Lupo gained worldwide recognition in 1989 after winning – as the first Italian – the bronze medal in the Eighth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition.
His success immediately led to critically acclaimed debuts with several major American and European orchestras including the Chicago Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, Boston Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Baltimore Symphony, Montreal Symphony, London Philharmonic, Gewandhaus Orchestra in Leipzig, Rotterdam Philharmonic, Hallé Orchestra, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester in Berlin, Orquesta Nacional de España, Monte Carlo Philharmonic, and Bergen Philharmonic. He has established special collaborations with leading conductors including Yves Abel, Ed Gardner, Gian Carlo Guerrero, Vladimir Jurowski, Stanislav Kochanovsky, Bernard Labadie, Louis Langrée, Marko Letonja, Nicholas McGegan, Juanjo Mena, Kent Nagano and Xian Zhang, among others.
In 2018, Benedetto Lupo’s return to the London Philharmonic was highly acclaimed and his performance of the Ravel left hand Concerto was called “the stand out performance of the evening” (Bachtrack). Extremely keen on French music, in 2018 Benedetto Lupo celebrated Claude Debussy (1862-1918) one hundred years after his death with a series of all-Debussy concerts in Europe and North America. Le Devoir in Montreal said, “Lupo’s Debussy recital was an absolutely exceptional experience, both musical and sensuous,” while the Washington Post said, “Lupo has two key attributes shared by outstanding Debussy interpreters: a seemingly infinite variety of touch and dynamics and a full to overflowing imagination. These, coupled with an infallible Italian instinct for the perfectly balanced singing line, are what make Lupo’s Debussy both authoritative and compelling […] Lupo’s interpretations, free of anything predictable or routine, are entirely his own, thoughtful and fresh. Throughout, the audience listened in that rapt silence reserved for the best music-making.”
In his busy concert schedule Benedetto Lupo is a regular guest in major concert halls all over the world, including Alice Tully Hall in New York’s Lincoln Center, London’s Wigmore Hall, the Berlin Philharmonie, the Bruxelles Palais des Beaux Arts, and the Salle Pleyel in Paris and in prominent festivals such as the Tanglewood Festival, the Istanbul International Festival, the Enescu Festival, and the Tivoli Festival in Copenaghen.
In his native Italy he has played with every major orchestra, including the Academy of Santa Cecilia Symphony in Rome, the RAI National Symphony in Turin and the Maggio Musicale in Florence, as well as in all major concert venues including La Scala in Milan, the Teatro Comunale in Bologna, the San Carlo in Naples, and La Fenice in Venice.
Benedetto Lupo’s recordings include an acclaimed version of Nino Rota’s Concerto Soirée on Harmonia Mundi which received several prizes, including the Diapason d’Or. Rota mentored Lupo, following him closely during his early training at the Piccinni Conservatory in Bari. Along with Peter Maag and the OSI Orchestra, Benedetto Lupo recorded the complete Schumann piano works with orchestra for ARTS label.
Benedetto Lupo is the head of piano master courses at the world-renowned National Santa Cecilia Academy in Rome, where in 2015 he was designated “Active Academician of Santa Cecilia”. He has won numerous other international competitions and awards, including the Terence Judd Award in London, and gives master classes worldwide for prestigious institutions.
2019 – PLEASE DESTROY ALL PREVIOUSLY DATED MATERIALS.
MODIFIED VERSIONS MUST BE APPROVED BY DISPEKER ARTISTS.
Pianist Lupo Celebrates Debussy with Thoughtful Performance
“Lupo has two key attributes shared by outstanding Debussy interpreters: a seemingly infinite variety of touch and dynamics and a full to overflowing imagination…Lupo’s interpretations, free of anything predictable or routine, are entirely his own, thoughtful and fresh. Throughout, the audience listened in that rapt silence reserved for the best music-making.”
– Patrick Rucker, The Washington Post – Related Link
LPO/Mena at the Royal Festival Hall
“The subtlest tones came in the spellbinding nocturnal textures launching part two, though before The Rite our ears had already been tickled by the verdant colours in Debussy’s Printemps and the elegantly pungent kaleidoscope of Ravel’s Piano Concerto for the Left Hand. Benedetto Lupo was the muscular soloist — his right hand gripped the piano stool, determined not to interfere.”
– Geoff Brown, The Times – Related Link
«Journées Debussy»: Lupo et la voûte étoilée
“Benedetto Lupo went to raise the bar to a height where it was not expected…Everything was supreme.”
– Christophe Huss, Le Devoir – Related Link
TSO Offers Full Mozart Meal Deal
“The main course consisted of the Piano Concerto No. 23, performed at breakneck speed by pianist Benedetto Lupo, with Matthew Halls conducting. It began with a very clean, almost dainty first movement and led towards the Menuetto, which was played with a tenderness that made it seem as if Wolfgang himself was sitting at the piano.”
– Michael Vincent, Toronto Star – Related Link
Classy music-making from Juanjo Mena, Benedetto Lupo, Baltimore Symphony
“The soloist was the excellent Benedetto Lupo, making his BSO debut. It has been a long while since I heard the Italian pianist, who took the bronze at the 1989 Van Cliburn Competition.
“The qualities I admired back in the 1990s were very much in evidence Friday — unfailing beauty of tone matched with solid technique and refined musicality.”
– Tim Smith, Baltimore Sun – Related Link
Orchestral
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Bach
Concerto in d minor, BWV 1052
Concerto for 2 Pianos in c minor, BWV 1060 (2nd Piano)Bartók
Concerto No. 2 in G Major, BB101, SZ.95
Concerto No. 3 in E Major, BB127, SZ.119Beethoven
Concerto No.1 in C Major, OPp.15
Concerto No.2 in B-flat Major, Op.19
Concerto No. 3 in c minor, Op.37
Concerto No. 4 in G Major, Op.58
Concerto No. 5 in E-flat Major, “Emperor,” Op.73
Choral Fantasy
Rondo for Piano and Orchestra in B-flat Major, WoO 6
Triple Concerto in C Major, Op. 56Brahms
Concerto No. 1 in d minor, Op. 15
Concerto No. 2 in B-flat Major, Op. 83Casella
Partita Op.41
Scarlattiana Op. 44Chopin
Concerto No. 1 in e minor, Op. 11
Concerto no. 2 in f minor, Op.21Dvorak
Concerto Op. 33 in g minor (original version)Faure
Ballade Op. 19 in F-sharp MajorFranck
Les Djinns
Symphonic VariationsGershwin
Concerto in FGrieg
Concerto in a minor, Op. 16Liszt
Concerto No. 1 in E-flat Major, S. 124
Totentanz (Dance of Death), S. 126, R. 457Mendelssohn
Concerto No. 1 in g minor, Op. 25Mozart
Concerto No. 17 in G Major, KV 453.
Concerto No. 18 in B-flat Major, KV 456
Concerto No. 19 in F Major, KV 459
Concerto No. 21 in C Major, KV 467
Concerto No. 23 in A Major, KV 488
Concerto No. 24 in c minor, KV 491
Concerto No. 25 in C Major, KV 505
Concerto No. 27 in B-flat Major, KV 595
Concert Rondo in D Major, KV 382
Concerto for 2 Pianos in E-flat Major, KV 365 (2nd Piano)
Concert Aria, KV 505 « Ch’io mi scordi di te ? … Non temer moi amato bene » (piano obbligato)Paisiello
Concerto No. 5 in D Major
Concerto No. 7 in A MajorPärt
Credo for Piano, Mixed Choir and Orchestra (1968)Pilati
Suite for Piano and String OrchestraPoulenc
Concerto for 2 pianos (2nd Piano)Prokofiev
Concerto No. 1 in D-Flat Major, Op. 10Rachmaninov
Concerto No. 1 Op. 1 in f-sharp minor (revised version, 1917)
Concerto No.2 Op. 18 in c minor
Concerto No. 3 in d minor, Op.30
Concerto No. 4 Op. 40 in g minor (revised version, 1941)
Rhapsody on a theme by Paganini, Op.43Ravel
Concerto in G Major
Concerto for the Left HandRota
Concerto Soirée
Concerto in mi “Piccolo Mondo Antico”Saint-Saëns
Concerto No. 5 in F Major, Op.103
Carnival of the Animals (1st Piano)Salieri
Concerto No. 1 in B-flat Major
Concerto No. 2 in C MajorSchumann
Concerto in a minor, Op.54
Konzertstück Op.86 in F Major (piano version made by the composer)
Introduction and Allegro appassionato, for piano & orchestra in G Major, Op. 92
Concert Allegro with Introduction in d minor, Op.134Scriabin
Piano Concerto in f-sharp minor, Op. 20Shostakovich
Concerto in c minor for Piano, Trumpet, and String Orchestra, Op. 35Strauss
« Burleske » in d minor for Piano and OrchestraStravinsky
CapriccioTchaikovsky
Concert Fantasy in G Major, Op.56Weber
Konzertstück in f minor for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 79, J. 282
Sample Recital Programs
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Program 1:
Nino Rota: 15 Preludi (1964)
Claude Debussy: Masques (1904)
Claude Debussy: …d’un cahier d’esquisses… (1903)
Claude Debussy: L’isle joyeuse (1904)
-Intermission-
Alexander Scriabin: Sonate-Fantaisie no.2 op.19 (1892-1897)
Sergej Rachmaninov: Sonata no.2 op.36 (1931)Program 2: All Debussy Program
Images oubliées (1894)
Images, première série (1901-1905)
Images, deuxième série (1907)
-Intermission-
Estampes (1903)
Masques (1904)
…d’un cahier d’esquisses… (1903)
L’isle joyeuse (1904)
Orchestral
Bach
Concerto in d minor, BWV 1052
Concerto for 2 Pianos in c minor, BWV 1060 (2nd Piano)Bartók
Concerto No. 2 in G Major, BB101, SZ.95
Concerto No. 3 in E Major, BB127, SZ.119Beethoven
Concerto No.1 in C Major, OPp.15
Concerto No.2 in B-flat Major, Op.19
Concerto No. 3 in c minor, Op.37
Concerto No. 4 in G Major, Op.58
Concerto No. 5 in E-flat Major, “Emperor,” Op.73
Choral Fantasy
Rondo for Piano and Orchestra in B-flat Major, WoO 6
Triple Concerto in C Major, Op. 56Brahms
Concerto No. 1 in d minor, Op. 15
Concerto No. 2 in B-flat Major, Op. 83Casella
Partita Op.41
Scarlattiana Op. 44Chopin
Concerto No. 1 in e minor, Op. 11
Concerto no. 2 in f minor, Op.21Dvorak
Concerto Op. 33 in g minor (original version)Faure
Ballade Op. 19 in F-sharp MajorFranck
Les Djinns
Symphonic VariationsGershwin
Concerto in FGrieg
Concerto in a minor, Op. 16Liszt
Concerto No. 1 in E-flat Major, S. 124
Totentanz (Dance of Death), S. 126, R. 457Mendelssohn
Concerto No. 1 in g minor, Op. 25Mozart
Concerto No. 17 in G Major, KV 453.
Concerto No. 18 in B-flat Major, KV 456
Concerto No. 19 in F Major, KV 459
Concerto No. 21 in C Major, KV 467
Concerto No. 23 in A Major, KV 488
Concerto No. 24 in c minor, KV 491
Concerto No. 25 in C Major, KV 505
Concerto No. 27 in B-flat Major, KV 595
Concert Rondo in D Major, KV 382
Concerto for 2 Pianos in E-flat Major, KV 365 (2nd Piano)
Concert Aria, KV 505 « Ch’io mi scordi di te ? … Non temer moi amato bene » (piano obbligato)Paisiello
Concerto No. 5 in D Major
Concerto No. 7 in A MajorPärt
Credo for Piano, Mixed Choir and Orchestra (1968)Pilati
Suite for Piano and String OrchestraPoulenc
Concerto for 2 pianos (2nd Piano)Prokofiev
Concerto No. 1 in D-Flat Major, Op. 10Rachmaninov
Concerto No. 1 Op. 1 in f-sharp minor (revised version, 1917)
Concerto No.2 Op. 18 in c minor
Concerto No. 3 in d minor, Op.30
Concerto No. 4 Op. 40 in g minor (revised version, 1941)
Rhapsody on a theme by Paganini, Op.43Ravel
Concerto in G Major
Concerto for the Left HandRota
Concerto Soirée
Concerto in mi “Piccolo Mondo Antico”Saint-Saëns
Concerto No. 5 in F Major, Op.103
Carnival of the Animals (1st Piano)Salieri
Concerto No. 1 in B-flat Major
Concerto No. 2 in C MajorSchumann
Concerto in a minor, Op.54
Konzertstück Op.86 in F Major (piano version made by the composer)
Introduction and Allegro appassionato, for piano & orchestra in G Major, Op. 92
Concert Allegro with Introduction in d minor, Op.134Scriabin
Piano Concerto in f-sharp minor, Op. 20Shostakovich
Concerto in c minor for Piano, Trumpet, and String Orchestra, Op. 35Strauss
« Burleske » in d minor for Piano and OrchestraStravinsky
CapriccioTchaikovsky
Concert Fantasy in G Major, Op.56Weber
Konzertstück in f minor for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 79, J. 282
Sample Recital Programs
Program 1:
Nino Rota: 15 Preludi (1964)
Claude Debussy: Masques (1904)
Claude Debussy: …d’un cahier d’esquisses… (1903)
Claude Debussy: L’isle joyeuse (1904)
-Intermission-
Alexander Scriabin: Sonate-Fantaisie no.2 op.19 (1892-1897)
Sergej Rachmaninov: Sonata no.2 op.36 (1931)Program 2: All Debussy Program
Images oubliées (1894)
Images, première série (1901-1905)
Images, deuxième série (1907)
-Intermission-
Estampes (1903)
Masques (1904)
…d’un cahier d’esquisses… (1903)
L’isle joyeuse (1904)
Audio
Documents
Short Biography
Benedetto Lupo has been heralded 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 continues to gain worldwide recognition. Highlights for Mr. Lupo’s 2017-18 season feature performances with the Orchestre Symphonique de Montreal, Domaine Forget International Festival, Colorado Music Festival, Cliburn Concerts, Bourgie Concert Hall, National Gallery of Art Concert Series, and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra. Past seasons include performances with the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, the Naples Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Orquesta Sinfonica de Mineria and appearances at the Domaine Forget International Festival and the Ladies’ Morning Musical Club. |
Full Biography
Hailed by international critics as one of the most superb and interesting talents of his generation, Benedetto Lupo gained worldwide recognition in 1989 after winning – as the first Italian – the bronze medal in the Eighth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition.
His success immediately led to critically acclaimed debuts with several major American and European orchestras including the Chicago Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, Boston Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Baltimore Symphony, Montreal Symphony, London Philharmonic, Gewandhaus Orchestra in Leipzig, Rotterdam Philharmonic, Hallé Orchestra, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester in Berlin, Orquesta Nacional de España, Monte Carlo Philharmonic, and Bergen Philharmonic. He has established special collaborations with leading conductors including Yves Abel, Ed Gardner, Gian Carlo Guerrero, Vladimir Jurowski, Stanislav Kochanovsky, Bernard Labadie, Louis Langrée, Marko Letonja, Nicholas McGegan, Juanjo Mena, Kent Nagano and Xian Zhang, among others.
In 2018, Benedetto Lupo’s return to the London Philharmonic was highly acclaimed and his performance of the Ravel left hand Concerto was called “the stand out performance of the evening” (Bachtrack). Extremely keen on French music, in 2018 Benedetto Lupo celebrated Claude Debussy (1862-1918) one hundred years after his death with a series of all-Debussy concerts in Europe and North America. Le Devoir in Montreal said, “Lupo’s Debussy recital was an absolutely exceptional experience, both musical and sensuous,” while the Washington Post said, “Lupo has two key attributes shared by outstanding Debussy interpreters: a seemingly infinite variety of touch and dynamics and a full to overflowing imagination. These, coupled with an infallible Italian instinct for the perfectly balanced singing line, are what make Lupo’s Debussy both authoritative and compelling […] Lupo’s interpretations, free of anything predictable or routine, are entirely his own, thoughtful and fresh. Throughout, the audience listened in that rapt silence reserved for the best music-making.”
In his busy concert schedule Benedetto Lupo is a regular guest in major concert halls all over the world, including Alice Tully Hall in New York’s Lincoln Center, London’s Wigmore Hall, the Berlin Philharmonie, the Bruxelles Palais des Beaux Arts, and the Salle Pleyel in Paris and in prominent festivals such as the Tanglewood Festival, the Istanbul International Festival, the Enescu Festival, and the Tivoli Festival in Copenaghen.
In his native Italy he has played with every major orchestra, including the Academy of Santa Cecilia Symphony in Rome, the RAI National Symphony in Turin and the Maggio Musicale in Florence, as well as in all major concert venues including La Scala in Milan, the Teatro Comunale in Bologna, the San Carlo in Naples, and La Fenice in Venice.
Benedetto Lupo’s recordings include an acclaimed version of Nino Rota’s Concerto Soirée on Harmonia Mundi which received several prizes, including the Diapason d’Or. Rota mentored Lupo, following him closely during his early training at the Piccinni Conservatory in Bari. Along with Peter Maag and the OSI Orchestra, Benedetto Lupo recorded the complete Schumann piano works with orchestra for ARTS label.
Benedetto Lupo is the head of piano master courses at the world-renowned National Santa Cecilia Academy in Rome, where in 2015 he was designated “Active Academician of Santa Cecilia”. He has won numerous other international competitions and awards, including the Terence Judd Award in London, and gives master classes worldwide for prestigious institutions.
2019 – PLEASE DESTROY ALL PREVIOUSLY DATED MATERIALS.
MODIFIED VERSIONS MUST BE APPROVED BY DISPEKER ARTISTS.