Accademia Bizantina

Ottavio Dantone graduated in organ and harpsichord from the Conservatory "Giuseppe Verdi" in Milan. He began his career very young, dedicating his studies to early music and collaborating with various orchestras and acquiring considerable experience in basso continuo, the art of which he is now considered an authority.

In 1985 he was awarded the Basso Continuo prize at the International Paris Festival and in 1986 he received an award at the International Bruges Festival (two of the most renowned harpsichord festivals in the world), being the first Italian to have achieved this recognition at international level for the harpsichord.

He has an intense concert activity, both as harpsichord and fortepiano soloist and as conductor of orchestra and ensemble.

Since 1996 he has been Musical Director of the Accademia Bizantina in Ravenna, with whom he had already been working since 1989. He has toured in Europe, the United States, Israel and Mexico and has been guest at the most important Italian and foreign Concert Associations (Concetgebouw of Amsterdam, Cité de la Musique of Paris, International Muisc Festival of Istanbul, Metropolitan Museum of New York, Holstein Festival, Lingotto Auditorium of Turin, "Teatro Lirico" of Cagliari, Ravenna Festival, Bologna Festival, "Accademia di S.Cecilia" of Rome, "Accademia Chigiana" of Siena, G.O.G of Genoa, "Musica e Poesia a S.Maurizio" of Milan, "Amici della Musica" of Perugia, Ferrara Musica, "Settembre Musica" of Turin, "Accademia Filarmonica della Scala").

His activity includes many television and radio recorded performances in Italy and abroad. He has recorded both as soloist and conductor and basso continuista. In particular, Dantone's recording of "Sonate di gravicembalo" by P.D. Parisi has been awarded by the Italian critics as best record of 1998.