Biography

Sophie Leleu’s music is imbued with poetry, rooted in the lyrical heritage: “Sophie Leleu is a French composer with a wonderful universe from which emerges a poetic abundance, full of descriptive ideas and at the same time sometimes verging on irony. In keeping with the French tradition, she combines extremely lilting and also slightly grating poetic elements, taking us into a strange universe.” Benoit Sitzia, artistic director of the Ars Nova ensemble (Mars 2024/Festival Electrosession)

Mezzo-soprano and harpist, Sophie first turned to opera, both in the repertoire and in contemporary creations. She has performed throughout Europe, the United States and Asia . She has appeared in Bizet’s Carmen, Saint-Saëns’s Frédégonde at the Saïgon Opera in Vietnam, Jacqueline in Gounod’s Le Médecin malgré lui at theSaint-Etienne Opera, Nancy Tang in Adams’s Nixon in China at the Théâtre du Châtelet, Ulrica in Verdi’s Le Bal Masqué at the Mancinelli Theatre in Italy, etc.

A composer and improviser, Sophie is also a creative force. She began writing songs at an early age, accompanying herself on the harp, which she performed in a number of concerts, before composing for the performing arts.

Artistic director of the Des Lieux & Des Êtres company, Sophie creates shows around the voice, offering different aesthetics, mixing repertoire and creations.

While in confinement, she joins J.Pontier’s composition class at Pôle Sup’93- CRR d’Aubervilliers. She went on to perfect her skills in Aurélien Dumont’s class at the Créteil CRR.

She wrote several pieces for prestigious ensembles and obtained her DEM in June 2023.

Sophie writes for the ensembles Court-Circuit, Ars Nova, 2E2M, Multilatérale, Accroche Note and L’Instant Donné.

The Philharmonie de Paris commissioned her to create “Solstice-chant à la lune” in March 2023, then she was named laureate of the “Territoires en Création” scheme launched by the Ars Nova ensemble, which commissioned her for the 2023-24 season. Sophie is named finalist in the “Unanimes” international orchestral composition competition organized by the AFO. TheOrchestre Philharmonique de Radio France will premiere her work “Animal” on October 1, 26 at Studio 104 of the Maison de la Radio.

Publications

Sheet music edition "Enigmes" Editions Musicales l'Artchipel

"De Femmes en Femmes" album

Sheet music edition "Sur l'étoffe de mon âme

Agenda

Sophie Leleu will be back on stage soon.

30/10/2026

Puzzles / World Premiere

As part of Anne Montaron’s program “Création Mondiale,” my piece “Enigmes,” composed for mezzo-soprano, large mixed choir, prepared piano, and percussion, will be premiered by the Radio France Grand Choir, Marie-George Monet, Caroline Cren, and Emmanuel Jacquet, under the direction of Catherine Simonpietri. It will be broadcast on France Musique in November 2026.

01/10/2026

ANIMAL / Radio France Philharmonic Orchestra

As a finalist in the "Unanimes" international composition competition, my piece "Animal" for chamber orchestra will be premiered by the Radio France Philharmonic Orchestra at Studio 104 of the Maison de la Radio, conducted by Felix Bénati. The concert will be broadcast on France Musique.

27/09/2026

Birds in My Roots


Premiere of my new piece, "Des oiseaux dans mes racines," for string orchestra and percussion at the Vichy Opera House as part of the concert celebrating the 45th anniversary of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes National Orchestra—commissioned by ONAURA