The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra is now the only one, among the largest 25 orchestras in the U-S, with a woman music director.

For three decades, Natalie Stutzmann has been among the world’s leading contraltos.  Now, having turned fully to conducting, Stutzmann officially takes the podium tonight in Atlanta,

The 57-year old’s inauguration comes at the start of a season during which she’ll also make her conducting debuts at the New York Philharmonic, the Metropolitan Opera and the Bayreuth Festival.

Before hiring Stutzmann, the orchestra worked its way through a list of 80 candidates to replace Robert Spano who held the position for twenty years.

Her first conducting performance in Atlanta comes tonight when she conducts Beethoven’s 9th symphony.