Great-grandniece of the composers Francis Poulenc and Jacques de La Presle, Stéphanie d'Oustrac makes it a point of honour to perform their works, whether it be Poulenc's La Voix humaine or de La Presle's Nocturne et Dedette. After her debut with Les Arts Florissants and William Christie, she played baroque heroines, notably Médée by Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Armide, and Cybèle in Atys by Lully. A true tragedienne when she plays Charlotte (Werther), Phèdre (Hippolyte et Aricie) or Cassandre (Les Troyens), she also flourishes in the lighter roles of Rosine (The Barber of Seville) or Hélène (La Belle-Hélène).

In 2002, she was named "Revelation Opera Artist of the Year" at the Victoires de la Musique awards, and in 2010 she won the Gramophone Editor's Choice award for her Haydn CD. She is a regular guest at major festivals and opera houses.