France Atlanta Night at the ASO

Nathalie Stutzmann brings a night of French music to the Azadi Galleria at the Woodruff Arts Center on Thursday, November 12, with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. The program pairs two of the most potent voices of 19th-century French music, Hector Berlioz and Gabriel Fauré, both conducted by Stutzmann, who serves as the ASO's music director.

The evening opens with Berlioz, starting with a little Faust and the song cycle Les nuits d'été, performed with mezzo-soprano Juliette Mey. From there, the program moves to Gabriel Fauré's Requiem Mass, which brings in the ASO Chorus for the full choral work. It's a pairing that spans two different eras of French music—Berlioz's more expansive, dramatic style and Fauré's more intimate, reflective approach—all under the same baton.

Stutzmann herself has a deep connection to the music she's programming. She's been recognized by the French government as a Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur, France's highest honor, and as a Commandeur dans l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. The performance is staged in partnership with the Alliance Française of Atlanta, the French American Chamber of Commerce of Atlanta, France-Atlanta, and the Consulate General of France in Atlanta.

The concert begins at 8 PM, and there are free pre-concert activities starting at 6:30 PM if you want to arrive early. Admission is free.