Natalie Dessay is in the running to be one of the successors to the Opéra National de Bordeaux’s general director Marc Minkowski.

Per Díapason Magazine in France, the soprano is being considered to take on the position of general director when Minkowski’s contract expires in 2022.

Per the report, other candidates being considered include Eric Blanc de la Naulte, who is the general director at the Opéra de Sainte-Etienne and Bart van der Roost who is leading the Opéra de Gand.

Dessay was born in Lyon, but grew up in Saint-Médard-en-Jalles near Bordeaux. The soprano was a former chorister at the Opéra National de Bordeaux and took acting lessons with Gérard Laurent at the Conservatoire de Bordeaux. She would go on to a renowned international opera career performing at all the major companies around the world including the Vienna State Opera, Théâtre de Capitole, Opéra National de Paris, Grand Théâtre de Genève, Metropolitan Opera, Théâtre du Châtelet, Opéra de Lausanne, Lyric Opera of Chicago, and Teatro alla Scala, among others.

Minkowski’s contract was not renewed by the company due to his constant absences that led to a questioning of his commitment to the organization. Nonetheless, the conductor is expected to remain close to the company for future projects.