With 104 permanent musicians, the Orchestre national de Lyon (ONL) has had Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider as its musical director since September 2020.

Heir to the Société des Grands Concerts de Lyon, founded in 1905 by Georges Martin Witkowski, the ONL became permanent in 1969. After Louis Frémaux (1969-1971), its musical directors have been Serge Baudo (1971-1987), Emmanuel Krivine (1987-2000), David Robertson (2000-2004), Jun Märkl (2005-2011) and Leonard Slatkin (2011-2017), who is now Honorary Music Director. The ONL has the privilege of rehearsing and performing in its own dedicated hall, the Lyon Auditorium (2100 seats).
The ONL explores a vast repertoire, from the 18th century to the present day. The richness of its repertoire is reflected in a vast discography, published notably by Naxos. A pioneer in the field of film-concerts, it recorded the original soundtrack of Alexandre Astier’s film Kaamelott: Premier Volet. It is also ambitiously involved in educational and outreach activities.
The ONL was the first European symphony orchestra to perform in China, in 1979, and in recent years it has played in the main cities of Germany (Berlin Philharmonic, Leipzig, Munich, etc.), China (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, etc.) and Russia (Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Ekaterinburg, etc.). In 2020/2021, it should have toured Germany, Austria and the Netherlands.
In March 2022, the AO (Auditorium-Orchestre national de Lyon) joined the prestigious ECHO (European Concert Hall Organisation) network, which brings together 23 major concert halls from 13 European countries to share thoughts and initiatives on major issues in the music sector.
The AO is an establishment of the City of Lyon, subsidised by the State.

©Photo: Claire Gaby