SONIA BEN-SANTAMARIA

Named a Rising Star of Classical Music by BBC Music Magazine’s Opera section, French conductor Sonia Ben-Santamaria is rapidly establishing herself as one of the UK’s most promising opera conductors.

A trailblazer in her field, Sonia Ben-Santamaria made history as the first female conductor appointed as a Link Artist with the Royal Opera House & Royal Ballet. She later became the first Associate Conductor of Opera North - a landmark in the evolving representation of women in classical music in the UK.

Equally at ease in both the symphonic and operatic repertoires, Sonia has a deep-rooted passion for opera, stemming from her first career as a repetiteur and vocal coach. Her clear and refined technique, paired with a keen sensitivity to singers’ needs, has made her a sought-after conductor, particularly in the field of contemporary opera.

As a guest conductor, Sonia Ben-Santamaria has had the pleasure to lead:
the Dallas Opera Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Opera North Orchestra, City of London Sinfonia, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse, Orchestre National de Lille, and the Opéra Orchestre National de Montpellier.

This season, she will make her debut with the Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne, and will return to both the Opéra Orchestre National de Montpellier and the Grand Théâtre de Genève.

Since 2022, Sonia Ben-Santamaria has been Professor of Orchestral Conducting at the Institut Supérieur des Arts et du Design de Toulouse.