Nathalie Cardone Nathalie Cardone (1999)

The contralto Nathalie Stutzmann was not yet 30 years of age when she made this extraordinarily dramatic recording of arias from Handels Italian operas. It showcases her impressive depth of tone, a voice of tremendous indeed, in these days, almost unrivalled projection that inevitably brings to mind the great contraltos of yore from Clara Butt to Marian Anderson. Stutzmann was, and remains, however, an entirely modern artist, who has continued to innovate in her choice of repertoire and musical partners.

Contralto Nathalie Stutzmann shines a light on the deep-voiced female singers of the Baroque era, often overshadowed by the extravagant talents and reputations of castrato singers like Farinelli and Caffarelli. Her programme of Handel, Vivaldi, Porpora, Bononcini, Caldara and Gasparini displays the variety of operatic roles – both female and male – assumed by contraltos like Vittoria Tesi and Anna Marchesini. “We must remember that the opera composers of the early 18th century saw the female contralto and the male castrato as vocally interchangeable,” says Stutzmann, “and that the voice most closely resembling a castrato is not the countertenor – produced using a falsetto technique – but the contralto, which is a natural voice.” Stutzmann both sings and conducts Orfeo 55, the instrumental ensemble she founded a decade ago

Warner Classics and Erato presents Nathalie Stutzmann's album debut conducting the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra & Chorus. Beginning her studies with legendary Finnish teacher Jorma Panula, Stutzmann was later mentored by renowned conductors, Sir Simon Rattle the late Seiji Ozawa. This recording includes Dvorak's 'From the New World', becoming ingrained in the American musical landscape and the lesser known 'American Suite' which although was written around the same time is the New World symphony, was only premiered 6 years after his death.

Contralto Nathalie Stutzmann shines a light on the deep-voiced female singers of the Baroque era, often overshadowed by the extravagant talents and reputations of castrato singers like Farinelli and Caffarelli. Her programme of Handel, Vivaldi, Porpora, Bononcini, Caldara and Gasparini displays the variety of operatic roles – both female and male – assumed by contraltos like Vittoria Tesi and Anna Marchesini. “We must remember that the opera composers of the early 18th century saw the female contralto and the male castrato as vocally interchangeable,” says Stutzmann, “and that the voice most closely resembling a castrato is not the countertenor – produced using a falsetto technique – but the contralto, which is a natural voice.” Stutzmann both sings and conducts Orfeo 55, the instrumental ensemble she founded a decade ago.