Created in the 1960s from the merger between the Orchestre du Capitole and the Orchestre Symphonique de Toulouse-Pyrénées, the Orchestre national du Capitole quickly gained a new dimension thanks to the work of Michel Plasson, its conductor until 2003. In 1981, the Orchestre du Capitole earned the “national” label. From 2005 to 2022 Tugan Sokhiev gave fresh impetus to its 125 musicians and allowed to make this orchestra one of the most renouwned in France and in Europe. From 1 September 2024, Tarmo Peltokoski will serve as the Designate Music Director for the first season and will then occupy the role of Music Director until August 2029. In that position he will exert a pivotal influence in enhancing the already-glowing reputation of the Orchestre national du Capitole de Toulouse on the French and international music scenes over the coming years.

From its historic home in the Halle aux Grains, the Orchestre national du Capitole offers a rich symphonic season along with its opera and ballet and dance seasons. 

In France, the Orchestre du Capitole performs regularly in the most distinguished Parisian venues – including the the Philharmonie de Paris and the Théâtre des Champs Élysées – and also in the Occitanie region, strengthening its local rooting and its openness to new audiences. With this in mind, the orchestra has devised an educational programme consisting of concerts for families and schools (more than 25.000 children attend general or educational concerts each season) and is particularly involved in symbolic projects, namely the DEMOS project and the “Tous les matins d’orchestre” scheme. 

Musical creation is at the heart of these various seasons. The Orchestre national du Capitole has forged special relationships with musicians such as Bruno Mantovani, Qigang Chen and Benjamin Attahir and created several of of their works. 

The Orchestre national du Capitole is invited regularly to perform at the most prestigious concert halls during international tours, including Vienna’s Musikverein, the Berliner Philharmoniker, the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires and Tokyo’s Suntory Hall. It also appears at festivals such as the Granada festival, the Colmar International Festival, Saint Sébastien Musical Fortnight, the Chorégies d’Orange, the Occitanie Montpellier Radio France Festival, the Aix-en-Provence Easter Festival, the Bonn Beethoven Festival, the Côte Saint André Berlioz Festival and many more. It has completed many international tours, playing in Germany, Austria, Italy, Ireland, Spain, the United Kingdom, the Baltic states, Poland, China, Russia, Japan, South America, South Korea, Saudi Arabia and more.

On top of this, it has for many years been implementing an active and critically acclaimed recording policy in tandem with Warner Classics. The Orchestre has cultivated close ties with Mezzo TV, Medici, Radio Classique and France Musique.

The Orchestre national du Capitole has significantly expanded its broadcasting and online presence: during the restrictions caused by the Coronavirus, the whole season continued and was broadcast online and across social media.