Nathalie Stutzmann

Biography

Nathalie Stutzmann is the Music Director of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and the second woman in history to lead a major American orchestra. She is also Principal Guest Conductor of The Philadelphia Orchestra.

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 22-23 season also saw her acclaimed debut at the Metropolitan Opera with productions of both Die Zauberflöte and Don Giovanni; the New York Times declaring it "the coup of the year."

During the 23-24 season, she leads the Atlanta Symphony in twelve programme spanning some of her favourite core repertoire from Beethoven, Schumann, Brahms and Ravel through to the large symphonic forces of Mahler, Strauss and Tchaikovsky, along with a Bruckner festival marking the composer’s 200th anniversary and a West Coast tour. With The Philadelphia Orchestra she returns to New York for her much anticipated Carnegie Hall debut.

As a guest conductor, Nathalie makes her debut with the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra and returns to the London Symphony Orchestra for Bruckner’s Te Deum and his 7th and 9th symphonies. She conducts Wagner’s Der Fliegende Holländer for Teatro Regio Torino and returns to Bayreuth in the summer of 2024. Throughout the season, Nathalie will have a strong presence at the Philharmonie Paris where she will appear with the Orchestre de Paris and Orchestre de Capitole de Toulouse, and also chair the jury for the La Maestra Conducting Competition.

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” and Classics Today as a "modern reference version." Nathalie Stutzmann is an exclusive recording artist for Warner Classics/Erato.

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.