Massimiliano Martinelli is an Italian cellist known for his flawless technique, strong versatility and soul-stirring expressivity. He made his solo debut in 2007 performing the “Concerto Grosso for Three Cellos and Orchestra” by Krzysztof Penderecki. Since then, he has toured Europe and Asia extensively performing many of the most beloved works in the classical repertoire. Chosen by Maestro Riccardo Muti for the position of Principal Cellist in his Luigi Cherubini Orchestra, in 2010 Massimiliano won the audition for Principal Cello of the Zurich Opera House, a role he maintained for six years. Between 2016 and 2019 he received invitations to perform with some of Italy’s most prestigious orchestras, including La Scala in Milan and the San Carlo Theatre in Naples, as well as the Luzern Sinfonieorchester. In 2019 he won the audition at the Arena Foundation in Verona where he held the solo chair position until 2022. His album “Bach: Complete Cello Suites”, published the same year under the HalidonMusic label, quickly surpassed 5 million views on YouTube – making it one of the most popular recordings of the Bach Suites for Solo Cello on the platform. Together with his wife, cellist Fulvia Mancini, Massimiliano founded a Cello Duo known as Mr & Mrs Cello in 2017 with the intent of expanding their musical reach to new audiences as well as to explore different musical genres and repertoire.