Nathalie Stutzmann

Nathalie Stutzmann is considered one of the most outstanding musical personalities of our time, with parallel careers as both Contralto and Conductor. Her charismatic musicianship, the unique combination of rigour and fantasy which characterises her style have been recognised by her peers, audience and critics alike. Nathalie is Chief Conductor designate of Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra in Norway (from September 2018), Principal Guest Conductor of RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland and Associate Artist of the Sao Paulo State Symphony Orchestra. Recent guest conducting highlights with London Philharmonic Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra Washington, Konzerthausorchester Berlin, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, St Louis Symphony, Saito Kinen Ozawa Orchestra and Bergen Philharmonic led to immediate re-engagements this season and the next. Highly anticipated debuts include Houston Symphony, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France and Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Following her 2017 unanimously acclaimed success with Wagner’s Tannhaüser at Monte-Carlo Opera, she received an invitation to open the famous opera festival Les Chorégies d’Orange in 2018 conducting Boito’s Mefistofele and featuring Erwin Schrott in the lead role. For her opening season with RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland in Dublin, she will explore a vast repertoire including Beethoven’s Symphonies No. 1, 4, 5 and 9, Brahms’ Symphony No. 1 and Violin concerto, Prokofiev’s Classical Symphony, Strauss’ Death and Transfiguration, as well as works by Rachmaninov and Elgar. Nathalie sings regularly with the world’s greatest conductors and orchestras. Plans for the 2017/18 season include Brahms Alto Rhapsody with Sao Paulo State Symphony and Marin Alsop, and Beethoven Symphony No. 9 with Iván Fischer and Konzerthausorchester Berlin. Particularly acclaimed for her performances of Mahler, recent seasons have included performances of Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 and Rückert-Lieder at National Symphony Orchestra Washington/Eschenbach, Mahler’s Symphony No. 3 at the Verbier Festival/Michael Tilson-Thomas, with Berlin Philharmonic/Sir Simon Rattle, with Sao Paulo State Symphony/Marin Alsop and Des Knaben Wunderhorn with Danish National Symphony Orchestra/Petrenko. Recitals with Swedish pianist Inger Södergren in recent seasons include Concertgebouw Amsterdam, La Monnaie in Brussels, Stockholm Concert Hall, Monte-Carlo Opera, Gulbenkian Foundation Lisbon, and a Japan tour with Schubert song cycles. Nathalie devotes most of her singing season to her own chamber orchestra Orfeo 55, resident at Opéra Orchestre National Montpellier. Since its creation in 2009, she has continued to explore Bach, Vivaldi, Handel and the great baroque composers, and a new album featuring Italian arias, Quella Fiamma, was released on October 27, 2017 under Warner Classics/Erato. The ensemble will take this programme on tour in Paris’ new concert venue La Seine Musicale, Opéra National Montpellier, and festivals across France and Germany. The model of a complete musician, Nathalie started her studies at a very young age in piano, bassoon, chamber music and conducting. Her vocal training was initially with her mother, the distinguished soprano, Christiane Stutzmann, and later at the Ecole d’Art Lyrique de l’Opéra de Paris focusing on lieder with the great Hans Hotter. She studied conducting with the legendary Finnish teacher Jorma Panula and was mentored by Seiji Ozawa and Sir Simon Rattle. Nathalie received the ‘Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Mérite’ honour from the French State and in Spring 2015 she was appointed an Officer of the prestigious ‘Arts et Lettres’ in France.