On its website, our colleagues at BBC Music Magazine published a ranking of the 30 greatest conductors of all time, selected by their peers.

In response to the question, “Which maestros have inspired you?”, a hundred of today’s top conductors overwhelmingly named Carlos Kleiber.

Only two women appear in this ranking, and — cocorico! — they are both French conductors. Ranked 27th, Nathalie Stutzmann is currently the only female music director leading a major American orchestra (the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra). A renowned baroque conductor heading her ensemble Le Concert d’Astrée, Emmanuelle Haïm (ranked 24th) has revolutionized the musical approach of prestigious modern orchestras as a guest conductor, including the Berliner Philharmoniker. Let’s remember that while female conductors have gained visibility, they remain significantly underrepresented. Only 8% of orchestras worldwide are led by women.

Pour assister aux concerts de Nathalie Stuzmann !

Pour assister aux concerts d’Emmanuelle Haïm !

Nathalie Stutzmann & Emmanuelle Haïm (c) Simon Fowler & Marianne Rosenstiehl