Biography
Italian pianist Benedetto Lupo is regarded as one of the foremost interpreters of his generation, admired for the intellectual depth, refinement and poetic insight of his performances. His distinguished international career has established him as one of today’s leading exponents of the great classical and Romantic piano repertoire.
Born in Bari, Italy, Lupo first attracted worldwide attention after becoming the first Italian pianist to receive top honours at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, a milestone that launched an international career performing with many of the world’s leading orchestras. He has appeared with ensembles including the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the Gewandhaus Orchestra Leipzig, the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, the Montreal Symphony Orchestra and the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, collaborating with distinguished conductors such as Kent Nagano, Vladimir Jurowski, Bernard Labadie, Juanjo Mena and Yves Abel.
A frequent guest at the world’s most prestigious concert halls and festivals, Lupo has performed at Lincoln Center in New York, Wigmore Hall in London, the Berliner Philharmonie, Salle Pleyel in Paris, the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels, the Tanglewood Festival, the George Enescu Festival and the Tivoli Festival in Copenhagen.
His acclaimed recordings include the complete piano works of Robert Schumann, as well as celebrated interpretations of Debussy, Nino Rota and other major composers. His recording of Rota’s Concerto Soirée received numerous international distinctions, including the prestigious Diapason d’Or.
Alongside his concert career, Benedetto Lupo is deeply committed to chamber music, teaching and artistic mentorship. He regularly gives masterclasses throughout Europe and serves on the juries of leading international piano competitions. Since 2013 he has been Professor of Piano at the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome, where he has been a full academic member since 2015.
International critics have consistently praised the elegance, originality and expressive freedom of his playing. His performances are distinguished by their exceptional musical intelligence, technical mastery and profound poetic sensibility.
At the XXI Cartagena International Music Festival, Benedetto Lupo brings one of the most distinguished pianistic voices of the international concert stage, offering audiences interpretations of exceptional depth, elegance and artistic maturity.