Antonio Ballista
Biography Antonio Ballista
Antonio Ballista
is a musician with a strong intolerance to all kinds of conventions and routines. His curiosity has no limits, so that he likes to perform a big variety of musical expressions, without making aesthetical discriminations among the different styles of the music he plays, as he considers music as a whole.
According to this philosophy, Antonio has realized his artistic way playing side by side both intellectual and consumer music. His musical programs include very unlike styles as: Classical music, Ragtime, Italian and American songs, Rock, Film sound tracks. His original and personal interpretations – sometimes realized also with theatrical appearances – establish important elements to enlarge the concert’s normal features.
From 1953 he has played in a piano Duo with Bruno Canino. The Duo started on a successful career which has continued to date without interruptions. The performances of the duo in the field of the contemporary music have an historical value: their presence was fundamental for the spread of new works and for the catalyst influence over many composers.
Antonio has played under the leading of C. Abbado, P. Boulez , R. Chailly, B. Maderna, R. Muti, with important international orchestras, such as BBC Orchestra, Concertgebouw, Israel Philarmonic, Filarmonica della Scala, London Simphony, Orchestre de Paris, Philadelphia Orchestra, New York Philarmonic, as well as very important Festivals: Paris Festival, Edimburgh, Warsaw, Berlin, Strasbourg, Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Venezia.
As a conductor Ballista, among his several interpretations has realized the première of Gilgamesh by Franco Battiato (Teatro dell’Opera - Roma), as well the performance of the Simphony for 21 pianos by Daniele Lombardi at the Winter Garden in New York. Berio, Bussotti Castaldi, Castiglioni, Donatoni, Lucchetti, Morricone, Mosca, Panni, Picco, Sciarrino, Sollima and Ugoletti have written compositions for him. He has also carried out several tours with Berio, Dallapiccola, Stockhausen, and has performed monographical concerts with Boulez, Cage and Ligeti.
In 1995 Antonio founded the chamber music ensemble “Novecento e oltre” mostly devoted to XX Century Music and to the latest musical tendencies. The Ensemble made his first appearance in Palermo – the concert was organized by EAOSS together to Associazione Siciliana Amici della Musica – where they performed the complete works by Anton Webern, in occasion of the 50th anniversary of the composer’s death. Furthermore, with 4 concerts realized at the Biennale di Venezia, the Ensemble played the complete chamber music by Igor Strawinsky.
In 2003 Antonio, Alessandro Lucchetti and Federico Mondelci founded the trio Fata Morgana, skilled in crossing over various musical styles.
His enthusiasm for the Lieder literature drove him to collaborate with singers as Roberto Abbondanza, Anna Caterina Antonacci, Phillys Bryn-Julson, Monica Bacelli, Cathy Berberian, Luisa Castellani, Gloria Davy, Kim Kriswell, Sarah Leonard, Anna Moffo, Alide Maria Salvetta, Susanna Rigacci, Luciana Serra, Lucia Valentini Terrani, Gemma Bertagnolli, Alda Caiello, Laura Cherici, Lorna Windsor. Besides it is really remarkable his collaboration with actors as Paolo Poli (with a fellowship more then 30 years long), Gianni Agus, Ernesto Calindri, Arnoldo Foà, Ottavia Piccolo, Toni Servillo, Franca Valeri, Milena Vucotic, Peter Ustinov and the dancers Marga Nativo and Elisabetta Terabust.
He has realized a CD discography with RCA, Wergo, EMI, Ricordi, La Bottega Discantica. As piano professor (from 1965 until 1988) he has taught at Conservatorio A. Boito - Parma and furthermore at Conservatorio G. Verdi – Milano; afterwards he has given courses at Accademia Pianistica di Imola / Incontri con il Maestro.
