One of the most accomplished pianists of his generation, Michel Dalberto was born on June 2, 1955, in Paris, France. At the age of 3, he began learning to play the piano. At the age of 12, he began studying under Vlado Perlemuter and enrolled at the Paris Conservatoire in 1969, where he would study the piano for nine years. He came to prominence in 1975 when he won the Clara Haskil Prize and then the Leeds International Piano Competition three years later. Known as much for the elegance and finesse of his playing as for his great discretion, he began a brilliant international career marked by the interpretation of works by romantic composers such as Liszt, Schumann, and Schubert. Michel Dalberto is also known for his performances of works by Mozart, Debussy, and Ravel. His first solo album was Sontates Pour Piano (1980) and earned him the Grand Prize of the Academy Charles Cros Award. His catalog includes 14 volumes of recordings containing the complete piano works of Schubert, plus other releases such as Brahms: 4 Ballades Op. 10 - 6 Klavierstücke, Op. 118 (1984), Fauré: Mélodies (1989), Liebesträume Liszt Recital (1991), Claude Debussy (2015), and Liszt: Once Upon a Time (2022). Michel Dalberto served as co-director of the Festival des Arcs from 1990 to 2004, president of the Clara-Haskil Competition between 1991 and 2009, and professor at the Conservatoire de Paris since 2011. While best known a concert pianist, he has also established himself as a conductor.
