Antonio Pappano

{{short description|English-Italian conductor and pianist (born 1959)}}

{{Infobox person

| honorific_prefix = Sir

| name = Antonio Pappano

| honorific-suffix = CVO

| image = Antonio Pappano.JPG

| image_size =

| caption = Pappano (right) receiving the Vittorio de Sica prize from President Napolitano (2010){{cite web|url=http://presidenti.quirinale.it/elementi/Continua.aspx?tipo=Foto&key=14480|title=Palazzo del Quirinale 23/11/2010 |work=Fotografia – Primo Mandato|publisher= Presidenza della Repubblica|access-date=24 November 2016}}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1959|12|30}}

| birth_place = Epping, Essex, England

| alma_mater = Royal Academy of Music, London

| occupation = Conductor

| known_for = Conductor of Royal Opera House, and Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia and London Symphony Orchestra

| spouse = Pamela Bullock (1995–present)

| website =

}}

Sir Antonio Pappano {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100%|CVO}} (born 30 December 1959) is an English-Italian conductor and pianist. He is currently{{when|date=April 2025}} music director of the Royal Opera House{{Cite journal|url = http://www.operanews.com/Opera_News_Magazine/2013/2/Features/Balancing_Act.html|title = Balancing Act|last = Duchen|first = Jessica|author-link=Jessica Duchen | date = February 2012|journal = Opera News|pages = 18–22}} and chief conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra.{{cite web |title=Sir Antonio Pappano appointed chief conductor of London Symphony Orchestra |url=https://www.classicfm.com/artists/london-symphony-orchestra/antonio-pappano-appointed-chief-conductor/ |website=Classic FM |language=en |date=30 March 2021}}

Early life

Pappano was born in Epping, Essex. Pappano's family had relocated to England from Castelfranco in Miscano near Benevento, Italy, in 1958, and at the time of his birth his parents worked in the restaurant business. His father, Pasquale Pappano, was by vocation a singing teacher.{{Cite web|url = https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/classical/features/sir-antonio-pappano-i-had-no-ambition-to-conduct-8687380.html|title = Sir Antonio Pappano: 'I had no ambition to conduct'|date=6 July 2013|access-date=8 November 2014|website =The Independent|publisher = Independent News and Media|last = Tonkin|first = Boyd}}

When Pappano was 13 years old, he moved with his family to Connecticut. After musical training in piano, composition, and conducting, he became a rehearsal accompanist at the New York City Opera at the age of 21.{{cite news | author=Anna Picard | title=Antonio Pappano: Local hero | url=http://arts.independent.co.uk/music/features/article2035338.ece | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930155347/http://arts.independent.co.uk/music/features/article2035338.ece | url-status=dead | archive-date=30 September 2007 | work=The Independent | date=3 December 2006 | access-date=7 September 2007}}

Career

Pappano attracted the attention of fellow pianist and conductor Daniel Barenboim, and became his assistant at the Bayreuth Festival.{{cite news | author=Rupert Christiansen | title=High octane, high hopes | url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2002/09/02/bmpap02.xml | work=The Telegraph | date=2 September 2002 | access-date=7 September 2007}}{{dead link|date=July 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} He worked in Barcelona and Frankfurt, and served as an assistant to Michael Gielen.{{cite news | author=Peter Conrad | title=Lightning conductor | url=https://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/2003/feb/23/features.review27 | work=The Observer | date=23 February 2003 | access-date=7 September 2007}}

Pappano's first conducting appearance at Den Norske Opera was in 1987, and he became music director there in 1990. From 1992 to 2002, Pappano served as music director of Royal Theatre of La Monnaie Brussels, Belgium. He was principal guest conductor of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra from 1997 to 1999. In 2005, Pappano became music director of the Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia.{{cite news | author=Peter Conrad | title=Antonio Pappano: 'I didn't know what I was. Now I'm discovering my Italian roots.' | url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/mar/13/antonio-pappano-interview-peter-conrad | work=The Observer | date=2011-03-12 | access-date=2021-03-30}} He is scheduled to stand down from the Santa Cecilia post in 2023.{{cite news | author=Peter Conrad | title=After 24 Years, a Conductor Returns to the Met Opera | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/25/arts/music/conductor-antonio-pappano-met-opera.html | work=The New York Times | date=2021-10-25 | access-date=2021-10-26}}

In 2002, Pappano was named the music director of the Royal Opera House (ROH), Covent Garden. Pappano was the youngest conductor at the orchestra of the ROH, performing for the Royal Opera and Royal Ballet. At Covent Garden, Pappano and Kasper Holten, the ROH Director of Opera, shared responsibility for production.{{cite news | author=Rupert Christiansen | title=Antonio Pappano: the unstoppable maestro | url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2008/09/08/bmpappano108.xml | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080917212120/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2008/09/08/bmpappano108.xml | url-status=dead | archive-date=17 September 2008 | work=Telegraph | date=8 September 2008 | access-date=8 September 2008}} The ROH contract has renewed Pappano's contract several times, to 2017, and to 2023.{{cite news | author=Fiona Maddocks|authorlink=Fiona Maddocks | title=Antonio Pappano: Why the maestro isn't bowing out yet | url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2018/nov/04/antonio-pappano-stays-on-royal-opera-house-london | work=The Observer | date=2018-11-14 | access-date=2021-03-30}} BBC Radio broadcast in 2017 an hour-long documentary of Pappano's preparation of a new production of La bohème at the Royal Opera House.{{cite web | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/b095vgqg | title=Following Pappano (Omnibus) - BBC Sounds }} In March 2021, the ROH announced the latest extension of Pappano's contract through the 2023–2024 season, and the scheduled conclusion of Pappano's tenure at the close of the 2023–2024 season.{{cite press release | url=https://www.roh.org.uk/news/the-royal-opera-house-confirms-antonio-pappano-as-music-director-until-202324-season | title=The Royal Opera House confirms Antonio Pappano as Music Director until 2023/24 Season | publisher=The Royal Opera | date=2021-03-30 | access-date=2021-03-30}}

Pappano had first guest-conducted the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) in 1996. He has returned as guest conductor to the LSO on over 70 occasions, and made several recordings with the LSO. In March 2021, the LSO announced the appointment of Pappano as its next chief conductor, effective in September 2024. He held the title of chief conductor-designate in the orchestra's 2023–2024 London season.{{cite press release | url=https://lso.co.uk/more/news/1645-london-symphony-orchestra-appoints-sir-antonio-pappano-as-chief-conductor.html | title=London Symphony Orchestra appoints Sir Antonio Pappano as Chief Conductor | publisher=London Symphony Orchestra | date=2021-03-30 | access-date=2021-03-30}} He returned to the Metropolitan Opera in 2021 to conduct Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg.{{Cite web|title=Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg|url=https://www.metopera.org/season/2021-22-season/die-meistersinger-von-nurnberg/|access-date=2021-10-28|website=www.metopera.org|language=en|archive-date=28 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211028073613/https://www.metopera.org/season/2021-22-season/die-meistersinger-von-nurnberg/|url-status=dead}}

In 2023 he directed the orchestra at the coronation of Charles III and Camilla.[https://www.royal.uk/coronation-music-commissions Royal Family, "New music commissions for the coronation service at Westminster Abbey"], 17 April 2023. Retrieved 9 May 2023.

Awards and honours

Pappano's awards and honours include Gramophone's ‘Artist of the Year’ (2000), the 2003 Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Opera, the 2004 Royal Philharmonic Society Music Award, and the Académie du Disque Lyrique's Bruno Walter prize. On 17 January 2013 he received the Incorporated Society of Musicians' Distinguished Musician Award.{{cite web|title=Sir Antonio Pappano receives prestigious ISM Distinguished Musician Award |url=http://www.ism.org/news/article/sir-antonio-pappano-presented-with-prestigious-distinguished-musician-award |publisher=Incorporated Society of Musicians |access-date=18 January 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141108183121/http://www.ism.org/news/article/sir-antonio-pappano-presented-with-prestigious-distinguished-musician-award |archive-date=8 November 2014 }} He was awarded the Gold Medal of the Royal Philharmonic Society in 2015.{{Cite web|title = Antonio Pappano, Andris Nelsons and Mary Bevan among RPS Awards winners|url = http://www.classicfm.com/music-news/latest-news/rps-awards-2015-winners/#bxBb4oMFt8csZMM5.97|access-date = 18 September 2015}}

Pappano was knighted in the 2012 New Year Honours for services to music.{{London Gazette |issue=60009 |date=31 December 2011 |page=1 |supp=y}} In 2012, he was made a Cavaliere di Gran Croce of the Republic of Italy. He was appointed Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) in the 2024 New Year Honours for services at the coronation.{{London Gazette|issue=64269|supp=y|page=N4|date=30 December 2023}}

Personal life

Pappano is married to Pamela Bullock, an American vocal coach and they live in London.{{citation needed|date=December 2021}}

Recordings

Pappano records regularly for Warner Classics. His recordings include:

Harrison Birtwistle: The Minotaur
Philippe Boesmans: Wintermärchen
Jules Massenet: Manon, Werther
Giacomo Puccini: Il trittico, La bohème, La rondine, Tosca, Madama Butterfly, Turandot
Gioachino Rossini: Stabat Mater, William Tell
Giuseppe Verdi: Don Carlo, Il Trovatore, Messa da Requiem, Aida
Richard Wagner: Tristan und Isolde
Hugo Wolf: Lieder, with tenor Ian Bostridge
Antonín Dvořák: Symphony No. 9 & Cello Concerto
Sergei Rachmaninoff: Symphony No.2
Sergei Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 1 & Piano Concerto No. 2, with Leif Ove Andsnes
Sergei Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 3 & Piano Concerto No. 4, with Leif Ove Andsnes
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Symphonies No. 4-6
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Overtures And Fantasies

Television

Pappano has presented for the BBC including:

Opera Italia (BBC, 2010) – a three-part series tracing the history of Italian opera. The first episode covers the beginnings of opera, from Monteverdi to Rossini, plus discussing Handel and Mozart who were pivotal in the development of the art form.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00sjdmp|title=BBC Four – Opera Italia, Beginnings|website=BBC|accessdate=8 November 2021}} The second episode examines six of Verdi's most famous works – Nabucco, Rigoletto, Don Carlo, Otello, Falstaff and La Traviata.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00sm18t|title=BBC Four – Opera Italia, Viva Verdi|website=BBC|accessdate=8 November 2021}} The third episode covers five of Puccini's most popular operas – La Boheme, Tosca, Madame Butterfly, Gianni Schicchi and Turandot.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00spgk8|title=BBC Four – Opera Italia, The Triumph of Puccini|website=BBC|accessdate=8 November 2021}}
Pappano's Classical Voices (BBC, 2015), a four-part series exploring the great roles and the greatest singers of the last 100 years through the prism of the main classical voice types – soprano, tenor, mezzo-soprano, baritone and bass.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0615576|title=BBC Four – Pappano's Classical Voices|website=BBC|accessdate=26 April 2025}}

References

Sources

Maeckelbergh, Lucrèce, Antonio Pappano: Con Passione. Snoeck, 2006. {{ISBN|90-5349-527-4}}.

External links

[https://imgartists.com/roster/antonio-pappano/ IMG Artists page on Antonio Pappano]
[http://www.warnerclassics.com/search?q=pappano Warner Classics page on Antonio Pappano] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180111165250/http://www.warnerclassics.com/search?q=pappano |date=11 January 2018 }}
[http://www.bruceduffie.com/pappano.html Bruce Duffie, Interview with Antonio Pappano], 8 December 1996

{{succession box | title=Music Director, Théâtre de la Monnaie, Brussels | before=Sylvain Cambreling | years=1992–2002 | after= Kazushi Ōno}}

{{succession box | title=Music Director, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden | before=Bernard Haitink | years=2002–2024 | after=Jakub Hrusa}}

Category:1959 births

Category:Living people

Category:English classical pianists

Category:Italian male classical pianists

Category:Répétiteurs

Category:English male conductors (music)

Category:Music directors (opera)

Category:Italian British musicians

Category:English harpsichordists

Category:Honorary members of the Royal Academy of Music