Pianist Maurizio Pollini Dead at 82

Famed Italian pianist Maurizio Pollini has died. He was 82.

Milan's La Scala opera house, where he frequently performed, released a statement to confirm that the Grammy-winning pianist died on Saturday, March 23.

"La Scala mourns the loss of Maurizio Pollini, one of the great musicians of our time," it said, with the Teatro La Fenice adding, "It hurts our hearts to write about his passing... yes, because Maurizio Pollini, Titan of musical interpretation, Man, who did everything possible to ennoble music for Music, is gone. We will continue to listen to him to preserve his memory. RIP."

Maurizio Pollini Dead at 82

According to La Scala, Pollini was forced to cancel a concert at the 2022 Salzburg Festival due to health problems. However, it has yet to be confirmed whether it could be related to his undisclosed cause of death.

Aside from the opera house, the Rossini Opera Festival also penned a statement to pay tribute to the late musician. Fans also took to X to share their heartbreak following the loss.

"The Rossini Opera Festival joins the music world in mourning the death of Maurizio Pollini, the protagonist of numerous piano and chamber concerts at the Festival from 1985 to 2002, and where he directed 'La donna del lago' in 1981 and 1983," it said, as quoted by Opera Wire.

President Deutsche Grammophon Dr. Clemens Trautman wrote, "We are in disbelief and mourning as we learn the terribly sad news about Maurizio Pollini's passing. One of the truly great and groundbreaking musicians of our time has left us. His achievements in the field of modernist and contemporary music as well as in the classical and romantic repertoire are towering."

Dr. Trautman also shared in his tribute about Pollini's half-a-century collaboration with the Deutsche Grammophon, from his debut release in 1960 to his final projects before his death.

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Remembering Maurizio Pollini

Born in Milan in 1942 into a family of artists, Maurizio learned from his violinist father, Gino Pollini, and pianist mother, Renata Mellotti.

Before turning 10, Maurizio began holding concerts before winning the International Chopin Piano Competition and becoming its youngest foreign artist.

He eventually joined his friend and conductor Claudio Abbado during the 1960s improvised concerts before expanding his international career through his collaborations with other conductors like Riccardo Chailly and Daniel Barenboim.

Among his biggest milestones was a Grammy for Best Instrumental Soloist Performance (without orchestra) for Chopin: Nocturnes in 2007.

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