Jacqueline du Pré

About Jacqueline du Pré

British cellist Jacqueline du Pré (1945-1987) was a leading performer of the mid-twentieth century, and the first woman cellist to establish an international career. She focused largely on Romantic and post-Romantic repertoire, and her performances were notable for the physicality and joyful exuberance of her playing. She began playing professionally in her teens and made her Carnegie Hall debut at 20. She was equally at home as soloist and chamber musician, and frequently collaborated with her husband, pianist and conductor Daniel Barenboim. Her career was cut short in her prime when she was struck with multiple sclerosis in the early '70s.