Marc Soustrot

"Soustrot offered interpretations of extreme structural clarity in which the contrasts of light and dark stood out."

Diario de Sevilla, Pablo J. Vayón, 7/4/2022

“Conductor Marc Soustrot transforms the Malmö Symphony Orchestra into a top body of sound with very French fine-tuning of colours. Absolutely worth hearing!“

Wiener Zeitung, Edwin Baumgartner, 2/8./2021 – on the CD with Saint-Saens' complete symphonies

“For the current New Year's Concert ROSS chose Marc Soustrot, a conductor who has always shown an affinity for the ensemble and a remarkable sensitivity for colour.”

Diario de Sevilla, Pablo J. Vayón, 03/01/2021

“Marc Soustrot gave the orchestra confidence from bar one onwards. Everything about his musical approach and body language was round, supple and inviting.”

Eindhovens Dagblad, Marjolijn Sengers 10/10/2020

“Swedish Malmö Symphony Orchestra, conducted by the experienced French conductor Marc Soustrot, explores the richness of Berlioz's romantic composition.”

Sächsische Zeitung, Rainer Kasselt, 4/6/2018 – on Berlioz's "La Damnation de Faust", June 2018

“Marc Soustrot conducted thoughtfully and with exact phrasing.”

Frankfurter Rundschau, Hans-Klaus Jungheinrich, 12/6/2017 – on "Jeanne d'Arc au bûcher", Opernhaus Frankfurt

“The musical direction, incorporating everything from the rare Ondes Martenot with its distinctive howl to innocent-sounding French folk song, lay in the expert hands of Marc Soustrot, who did a fantastic job with the Frankfurter Museumsorchester.”

Musik Heute, Bettina Boyens, 12/6/2017 –

“Marc Soustrot ensured a connection between both works and a sense of dramatic development through a highly differentiated and majestic interpretation that made no compromises.”

klassik.com, Christiane Franke, 11/6/2017

“Leading the Staatsorchester, Marc Soustrot was well suited to the airy lightness of Gounod, especially where the style was close to Jacques Offenbach. Under Soustrot’s baton, the music had a fluency, radiance and malleability as well as clear contouring and sense of direction. Elsewhere, the singers had a highly sensitive and reactive dynamic range.”

Stuttgarter Nachrichten, Susanne Benda, 2/11/2016 – on Gounods "Faust", Stuttgart State Opera 2016

“Musically, the performance was of a very high standard. The Stuttgart Staatsorchester performed the score flawlessly and emphasized its passionate sumptuousness. The magnificent, opulent melodies were particularly successful in this well considered performance. […] Soustrot and the Stuttgart Staatsorchester vividly illustrated real feeling – Gounod the “church musician” also comes into his own. […] Marc Soustrot achieved a fine balance between orgiastic obsession and aloof asceticism. […] He gave free rein to the Stuttgart Staatsorchester’s intuitive sense of musical colour.”

Der neue Merker, 2/11/2016

“Conductor Marc Soustrot and the Stuttgart Staatsorchester’s interpretation only got better throughout the opera’s three hour duration. Sinewy soundscapes, pacey tempi, feisty directness, frothy lyricism – all was present and fully realised.”

Münchner Merkur, Markus Thiel, 2/11/2016

“The famous Kapellmeister Soustrot, the resplendent-sounding orchestra and the Staatsopernchor – magnificently prepared by Johannes Knecht – stormed through the score with celebratory fervour. Brisk, agile, light-hearted and funny, in serious moments the ensemble could be powerful and brooding, with dark, booming trombone – particularly in the curse scene, when Valentin returns from the war and dies in the public square for all to see.”

Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Eleonore Büning, 1/11/2016

“Marc Soustrot, our favourite conductor from France, was on top form as usual – and the musicians love him for that: precision, freedom, elegance and brutality, charm and sarcasm; he recalls everything that Strauss wrote in this “comedy for music.” And there is something else that other conductors at this venue rarely give: heart.”

Stuttgarter Zeitung, 14/04/2015 – on Strauss's "Der Rosenkavalier", Stuttgart State Opera, April 2015

“Conducting the velvety strings, and focused and precise brass players of the splendid Staatsorchester, Marc Soustrot holds the reins of the Viennese spirit that Richard Strauss gave the piece: the waltz prances and lingers when called for and pulls back when the articulation of the sung part comes to the fore. This is an interpretation of Strauss that […] has been worked on very precisely so that all the tone quality comes across cleanly: music with zest and wit.”

Stuttgarter Nachrichten, 14/04/2015

“I have rarely experienced Debussy’s opera performed with such delicate pastel-coloured sensitivity. Although Soustrot by all means also produced dramatic tension with compelling intensification, where necessary. Powerful conducting.”

Die deutsche Bühne, 24/01/2015 – on Debussy’s "Pelléas et Mélisande", Semperoper Dresden, January 2015

“The French conductor Marc Soustrot discreetly and powerfully leads the Sächsische Staatskapelle, which is noticeably engaged in the interpretation.”

Der Tagesspiegel, 29/01/2015

“The orchestra plays brilliantly and, together with its conductor, already receives standing ovations after the second interval. Indeed, an orchestral sound develops that radiates the most stunning colours; the brass is flawless, beautiful and pure in every register. Marc Soustrot, who has shone on many occasions as conductor in Stuttgart, uses every dynamic without obscuring the singers in the loud passages. He gives full and impressive scope to the dramatic breath of the music.”

Online Musik Magazin, 03/02/2013 – on Wagner's "Götterdämmerung", Stuttgart State Opera, January 2013

“The musicians were highly concentrated under the very accomplished direction of Marc Soustrot, playing with great intensity, producing a rich sound and implementing the conductor’s intentions marvellously. […] Soustrot’s main focus was on bringing out the multi-layered network of musical motifs, never letting the tension waiver. It was absolutely brilliant to witness how he concisely explored and contrasted the various leitmotifs in all their ramifications, interconnections and modifications.”

Der Opernfreund, 01/02/2013