Patrick Fournillier

Patrick Fournillier (born 26 December 1954 in Neuilly-sur-Seine) is a French conductor, particularly associated with opera and with the works of Jules Massenet.

He studied in Paris with Louis Fourestier and Pierre Dervaux, then in Strasbourg Conservatoire and Salzburg Mozarteum.

Between 1983 and 1986 he was assistant conductor in l'Orchestre National de Lille, then become Artistic Director there.

Since 1988 he is Music Director of the Nouvel Orchestre de Saint-Étienne and, since 1990, co-founder and Music Director of Massenet Festival at Saint Étienne, bringing many and the most neglected operatic and vocal works of Jules Massenet back to light again.

Those many rewards brought him international acclaim and keeps him extremely busy, since many symphony orchestras and opera theatres around the world invited him either to be their guest conductor or even become their visiting music director.