Nathalie Stutzmann awarded Officer of the Order of Cultural Merit of the Principality of Monaco

Following her concert with Orfeo 55 at Monte-Carlo Opera on November 11, Nathalie Stutzmann was awarded Officer of the Order of Cultural Merit of the Principality of Monaco by Her Royal Highness the Princess Caroline of Hanover, in honour of her work both as a singer and a conductor.

Her many successes in the Principality include having being the first woman in history to conduct an opera production in Monte-Carlo, Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore in 2014, which led to an immediate reinvitation to conduct a production of Wagner’s Tannhäuser in 2017.

© G.Luci- Palais princier de Monaco

Nathalie Stutzmann appointed Associate Artist of São Paulo Symphony Orchestra

On October 1st, the São Paulo Symphony Orchestra (OSESP) announced the appointment of Nathalie Stutzmann as Associate Artist for the 2016, 2017 and 2018 seasons, as both symphonic conductor and singer.

During this period, Nathalie’s time with the orchestra will increase, beginning with two weeks with OSESP in September 2016, during which she will be leading two programmes each composed of three concerts, including performances with pianist Khatia Buniatishvili as a soloist. She will also conduct a Free Morning Concert.

Nathalie has already performed several times with the OSESP, notably in 2013 while she was Artist in Residence.

 

New Schubert lieder box set released

Winterreise, Die schöne Müllerin, Schwanengesang: the three major Schubert song-cycles recorded by Nathalie Stutzmann and her pianist Inger Södergren in 2004, 2005 and 2008 are now available together in a new box set (3 CDs) on Erato!*

“We’ve been able to improve the sound quality of the original recordings, and I’m satisfied that the remastered versions do full justice to the work we did back then”, says Nathalie. “I couldn’t do without Schubert in my life,” she adds.

This set also celebrates the 20th anniversary of her partnership with Inger Södergren.
A perfect Christmas gift for all classical music lovers!

Purchase online
* Outside France only. French release date is due on January 12, 2015.

Nathalie Stutzmann headlines Opéra Magazine

10520683_10154918301210094_4273155140247402365_nJust a few days before launching her Handel Messiah tour with Orfeo 55, Nathalie Stutzmann headlines the French Opéra Magazine for an in-depth interview on her career.

Here is an excerpt:
Heroes from the Shadows, votre nouvel enregistrement qui vient de paraître chez Erato, est consacré à  Haendel, un musicien qui vous est cher…
C’est un compositeur phare pour moi, il a écrit de si belles choses pour la voix de contralto ! Sa musique, y compris dans sa manière de traiter l’orchestre, est d’une richesse et d’une diversité qu’on ne perçoit pas toujours, car ses livrets sont très souvent construits sur des modèles identiques. J’ai chanté beaucoup de Haendel à la scène : le premier a été le rôle-titre d’Amadigi, aux côtés de Bernarda Fink en Dardano ; je me suis aperçue qu’elle avait un air admirable, que j’aimais encore plus que les miens, et j’ai commencé à  creuser cette question et à  me pencher sur les personnages autres que principaux. J’ai adoré incarner Giulio Cesare, mais les airs de Cornelia ou de Sesto sont aussi beaux que les siens – De même, si Radamisto est merveilleusement servi, Zenobia hérite aussi d?un air superbe.”

The rest of the interview in the magazine, downloadable here.

Nathalie’s new album is now available worldwide

Check-out some of the reviews and purchase your copy on Amazon, Fnac, iTunes, Qobuz or at any good local retailer!

“… the entire disc is collectible.”
The Sunday Times

“… splendid Handel recital… High points – and there are quite a few – include the duet for Cornelia and Sesto from Giulio Cesare, in which she is joined by the countertenor Philippe Jaroussky.”
The Guardian

“… it is not just a matter of singing slowly and beautifully: in Arsamene’s aria from Serse, the word “cor” at the end of the B section is barely sounded; Ottone breaks momentarily into speech in his aria from Agrippina; and “Pena tiranna”, the plaintive sarabande with pained oboe and bassoon lines for Dardano from Amadigi di Gaula is one of several arias to culminate in a surging climactic final phrase and orchestral play-out. Subtle, considered and truthful touches like this make every aria, be it fast or slow, a memorably shaped event.”
Gramophone

“… it’s a pleasure to hear the musically confident and imaginative Stutzmann get her way.”
Opera News

“What’s never ambivalent about Stutzmann are her command of a huge range, her nigh-perfect technique, and her dark, rich sound that, to borrow an adjective from the millennial thesaurus, is awesome. Equally impressive is how well she conducts her own period instrument orchestra, Orfeo 55, which plays to perfection.”
The San Francisco Classical Voice

“Chef, [Nathalie Stutzmann] dirige un orchestre Orfeo 55 idéal de couleurs et de nuances, avec la conviction nécessaires, choisissant toujours le tempo et le ton juste… Chanteuse, elle prête à chacun des personnages un timbre singulier et une intelligence dramatique incontestable.”
Classica

“Ein Stimme der Extraklasse.”
Norddeutscher Rundfunk

Melomano de Oro: “Un Haendel Fascinante… Como solista, ya conocemos la extraordinaria voz de esta contralto. Su instrumento es de una belleza conmovedora, de registro perfecto: oscuro, aterciopelado y capaz de salir airoso de las coloraturas mas complejas.”
Melomano

“C’est qu’il y a de l’ogresse comme du funambule chez Nathalie Stutzmann, prête à  toutes les métamorphoses pourvu qu’elles servent l’essentiel : l’interprétation. Puissamment incarnée (“Voi che udite il mio lamento”) ou, au contraire, subtilisée, poétisée (“Non so se sia la speme” où affleure le souvenir de Paul Esswood), la plainte se renouvelle et nous captive, parce que l’artiste se l’approprie avec une acuité dramatique remarquable. Dans sa tessiture, bien peu poussent aussi loin la recherche expressive.”
Forum Opéra

Diapason d’Or: “On y entend, avec émotion et reconnaissance, l’accomplissement d’une artiste hors du commun. Nathalie Stutzmann sert Haendel avec autorité, profondeur, humilité, et un esprit pointu (Rosmira de Partenope). Les couleurs extraordinaires de la voix ont bien fructifié, avec un creux, une noirceur qui impressionnent, mais c’est l’imagination du style qui emporte la balance. Ni inertie, ni hystérie. Comme dans cet orchestre ductile et plein, d’une rare économie dramatique.”
Diapason

“On ne discute pas Nathalie Stutzmann. Elle est là . Elle règne. On s’incline devant son organe fabuleux, sa technique de haut vol capable de regarder en face les folles vocalises dans une stupéfiante alacrité, un fabuleux aplomb. On ne se lasse pas de redécouvrir, de saisons en saisons un métier sans faille au service d’une expression et d?une intelligence musicale rares, avec toujours cette impression d’aisance rigolote, de virtuosité qui laisse baba.”
Le Podcast Journal

“… an impressive demonstration of this artist’s multitude of musical talents, as she takes centre stage both as conductor and contralto soloist.”
Limelight Magazine