Overview The orchestra was formed in 1998 by Oswald Sallaberger in an endeavour to organize a professional orchestra in the city of
Rouen. Based on a Mozart formation, the orchestra is made up of more than 40 permanent musicians. It is often reinforced by additional non-permanent artists, enriching the breadth of the orchestra and allowing for special musical programs and events requiring a larger ensemble. The orchestra is alternately conducted by its current musical director,
Leo Hussain, or by local and foreign guest conductors who impulse a continuously renewed and refreshed approach to music.
Repertoire The orchestra's scope ranges from
Baroque music to
contemporary music. They notably performed Wagner's
Der fliegende Holländer and Britten's
Curlew River.
Specificity The orchestra also organizes concerts requiring
catgut strings instruments and traditional bows, offering musicians the opportunity to fully express their talents. The orchestra also highly encourages its musicians to further develop their technicality and widen their personal scope by programming concerts of
chamber music and allowing them to perform as soloists. It is France's first orchestra to offer that alternative.
International recognition It holds musical performances worldwide, either in Normandy, in other
regions of France or in overseas countries. The orchestra has toured to cities such as Bruges, Brussels, Delhi, Hanover, Havana, Luxembourg, New York City and Paris. The orchestra benefits from international recognition and was acclaimed on numerous occasions for the professionalism displayed in its rendition of musical masterpieces. == Musical direction ==