Daniele Callegari

Daniele Callegari was born in Milan, began his musical studies in double bass and percussion at the local Conservatory.

At 22, he joined the Teatro alla Scala orchestra, performing with illustrious conductors such as Abbado, Bernstein, and Muti over 12 years. Inspired by his mentors, he returned to the Conservatory to pursue composition and conducting. By the 1990s, he had established himself as one of Italy’s prominent conductors, engaging with major theaters both in Italy and abroad.
From 1998 to 2001, Callegari was Principal Conductor at the Wexford Opera Festival in Ireland. His interest in symphonic repertoire led him to become Chief Conductor of the Royal Flanders Philharmonic in Antwerp, Belgium, a post he held until 2008. Callegari is particularly drawn to 20th-century Italian operas and lesser-known works, leading him to premiere notable compositions, including Alice by Giampaolo Testoni (1993), Oedipe sur la route by Pierre Bartholomée (2003), and orchestral arrangements of Debussy’s Preludes by Luc Brewaeys. He has also collaborated with jazz artist Bert Joris on a unique CD project blending jazz and symphonic music.
His repertoire spans rare titles such as Cilea's Arlesiana, Wolf-Ferrari's I Quatro Rusteghi, and Tchaikovsky's Orleanskaya Deva. Callegari has conducted at prestigious venues worldwide, including Carnegie Hall, the Concertgebouw, and the Bayerische Staatsoper, and collaborated with leading orchestras such as Accademia di Santa Cecilia, Orchestre National de France, and Tokyo Philharmonic.
In 2022, Callegari was honored as Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Republic.