Nathalie Stutzmann is the Music Director of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and the second woman in history to lead a major American orchestra. She was Principal Guest Conductor of the Philadelphia Orchestra from 2021-2024.
Nathalie made her spectacular debut at the 2023 Bayreuth Festival with Wagner’s Tannhäuser, BR Klassik observed having “never experienced such a standing ovation at a pit debut in Bayreuth” with Oper Magazin describing her as a true possessor of “the Bayreuth gene”. The performances resulted in her being named ‘Best Conductor’ of the year in the 2024 Oper! Awards, and she returned in 2024 for a revival of the production that saw the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung describe her as “ …a genius who makes the music irresistible”. She returns to Bayreuth to mark the 150th anniversary of the Festival in 2026, conducting a new production of Rienzi in addition to the revival of Tannhäuser.
Her opera debut at the Metropolitan Opera in 2023 was declared by the New York Times as “the coup of the year”.
The 24-25 season with Atlanta Symphony features key pillars of the romantic repertoire including Bruckner Symphony no. 4, Mahler Symphony no. 1 and Strauss Eine Alpensinfonie, alongside a complete Beethoven Symphony cycle and the Missa Solemnis.
With several notable debuts including Czech Philharmonic, Boston Symphony, Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich and her conducting debut at the Musikverein with Wiener Symphoniker; her season also includes returns to the New York Philharmonic with two programmes as their Featured Artist, Munich Philharmonic, Orchestre de Paris and The Philadelphia Orchestra. In June 2025 she will return to Bruxelles La Monnaie to conduct Carmen.
Nathalie Stutzmann has signed an exclusive recording contract with Warner Classics/Erato and her first symphonic recording for the label of Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9 and American Suite with Atlanta Symphony Orchestra will be released on August 30, 2024.
Awarded the 2023 Opus Klassik “Concerto Recording of the Year” for her recording of Glière and Mosolov Harp concertos with Xavier de Maistre and WDR Sinfonieorchester, 2022 also saw the release of complete Beethoven Piano Concertos recorded with Haochen Zhang and The Philadelphia Orchestra. Gramophone praised it as a “a brilliant collaboration that I urge you to not miss”.
Nathalie started her studies at a very young age in piano, bassoon, cello and studied conducting with the legendary Finnish teacher Jorma Panula.
As one of today’s most esteemed contraltos, she has made more than 80 recordings and received the most prestigious awards. Recognised for her significant contribution to the arts, Nathalie was named “Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur”, France’s highest honour; and “Commandeur dans l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres” by the French government.
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