Nathalie Stutzmann

Nathalie Stutzmann – born Nathalie Dupuy on May 6, 1965 in Suresnes, Hauts-de-Seine, France – is an operatic contralto, conductor, and musician. Comfortable in all repertoires, the trained pianist and bassoon player is also a conductor. She first studied with her mother, Christiane Stutzman, before attending Nancy Conservatoire and then École d’Art Lyrique of the Paris Opera. Besides being a vocalist, she is also a chamber musician and plays the piano and bassoon. She made her debut as a singer at the Salle Pleyel in Paris in 1985. She made her debut recital performance in Nantes in 1986. Apart from performing operas and recitals, she also began teaching at the Geneva University of Music. Stutzmann founded chamber orchestra Orfeo 55 in 2009. Up until Orfeo 55’s dissolution, she acted as both a soloist and conductor. She became the first female chief conductor of the Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra in 2018. In December 2020, she was appointed as the principal guest conductor for the Philadelphia Orchestra, the first female to hold the position. Throughout her career, she has been featured on over 50 recordings and has received awards from around the globe.