Biography
Orchestre philharmonique de Strasbourg, was founded in 1855, is based in Strasbourg’s Palais de la musique et des congrès, and tours in France and internationally. The OPS ranks as one of the major orchestras in France and was awarded the label of “National Orchestra” in 1994. The Orchestra is also one of the two permanent orchestras of the Opéra national du Rhin. With 110 permanent musicians perpetuating its dual French/German tradition, the Orchestra is engaged in an ambitious project centred on symphonic music.
In 2017 the Orchestra embarked on a landmark Berlioz recording cycle with conductor John Nelson, recorded for Warners Erato, with the first recording in the series, Les Troyens, awarded Gramophone Magazine’s 2018 Recording of the Year. Further notable recent releases include BariTenor with Michael Spyres (September 2021).
The Orchestra contributes to Strasbourg’s outreach with regular performances in landmark venues throughout France and Europe including the Philharmonie de Paris, Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, KKL in Lucerne, Gasteig in Munich, Musikverein in Vienna, etc. It has resumed its grand international tours which have already taken the Orchestra to Japan, Brazil and Argentina. In June 2017, it gave a series of concerts in South Korea, which were so successful that the Orchestra was immediately invited to come back for another season.
The Orchestra’s exciting new Music and Artistic Director Aziz Shokhakimov took up the position in September 2021 for an initial contract of three seasons, succeeding Marko Letonja.
