Orchestre National de France

The Orchestre National de France has been associated with French national radio broadcasting for much of its career. It also lives up to its name, giving concerts around France in addition to those at its home venues in Paris. The Orchestre National de France, or ONF, was founded in 1934 by Radio France as the Orchestre National, giving its first concert at the Paris Conservatory. Its first conductor was Désiré-Emile Inghelbrecht. Major conductors have included Jean Martinon (1968-1973), Lorin Maazel (1988-1990), and, as of 2020, Cristian Măcelaru, whose contract has been extended through at least 2027. It has a long recording history; an early digital release was a recording of Bizet's Carmen in 1984, starring tenor Plácido Domingo and with Lorin Maazel as conductor. In 2024, Măcelaru and the orchestra issued an album of George Enescu's first three symphonies.