Emmanuelle Haïm
Although she never studied conducting formally, conductor and harpsichordist Emmanuelle Haïm has risen to become one of the world's top conductors of Baroque opera and choral music. She is the director of her own Baroque ensemble, Le Concert d'Astrée.
Haïm was born in Paris on May 11, 1962. In her deep ancestry was a family of Breton organ makers, and her stepfather passed time as friends with both András Schiff and Zoltán Kocsis. Haïm was inspired to take up the piano, and she and her siblings performed chamber music at these high-level gatherings. She soon decided on a musical career. Haïm attended the Conservatoire de Paris (the CNSMDP) for 13 years, starting on piano but switching to harpsichord in her mid-twenties because she wanted to participate in a performance of Bach's St. Matthew Passion and couldn't think of another way to become involved. Among her teachers at the Paris Conservatoire were Kenneth Gilbert and Christophe Rousset (with whom she appeared as harpsichordist on a 1996 recording of Handel's Riccardo Primo), and she was soon pulling down top prizes. Her harpsichord skills were spotted by conductor William Christie, and for a decade, Haïm performed with his ensemble, Les Arts Florissants. Working with Christie, she absorbed the principles of conducting. She also performed Baroque and Classical repertory with big-name conductors such as Simon Rattle, who would later encourage her in her own conducting efforts. She was also a noted accompanist who worked with Cecilia Bartoli, among others.
Haïm's conducting debut was as unplanned as her turn toward the harpsichord; a group of instrumentalist friends wanted to practice working with singers, and Haïm agreed to helm an impromptu ensemble. She began to find opportunities as a Baroque opera conductor, and in 2000, she formed an ensemble of her own, Le Concert d'Astrée. That put Haïm and her enthusiasm squarely in the spotlight ("like a ballerina on speed" was the Independent's description of Haïm in rehearsal), and engagements and support began to flow her way. Quite early on, Haïm made her recording debut with Le Concert d'Astrée, in a 2002 recording of Handel's Arcadian Duets on the Erato/Virgin label, featuring a high-powered group of singers, including Natalie Dessay. That year, Haïm conducted Monteverdi's Orfeo at the Barbican in London in a series of six sold-out performances featuring star tenor Ian Bostridge. She made numerous guest-conducting appearances but has mostly declined chances to move into mainstream repertory. Haïm conducted Orfeo in 20 performances across France in the 2005-2006 season. She was the first woman conductor at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, leading Handel's Giulio Cesare in 2007. As her reputation grew, many groups invited her to guest conduct concerts and recordings, as Concerto Köln did in 2010 for the album Caldara in Vienna. Haïm continues to conduct Le Concert d'Astrée and maintains a busy schedule of guest appearances, including some with full symphony orchestras. By 2022, Haïm had appeared on more than 85 albums, including that year's Une nouvelle fête Baroque!
© James Manheim /TiVo
Similar artists
Discography
20 album(s) • Sorted by Bestseller
-
Campra, Rameau, Mondonville
Classical - Released by Warner Classics on 25 Aug 2023
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
Handel : Italian Cantatas
Cantatas (secular) - Released by Erato on 23 Nov 2018
Gramophone: Recording of the Month24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Georg Friedrich Händel : Messiah
Sacred Vocal Music - Released by Erato - Warner Classics on 24 Oct 2014
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Une nouvelle fête baroque ! 20 ans
Classical - Released by Warner Classics on 22 Apr 2022
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Händel : Italian Cantatas
Sabine Devieilhe, Lea Desandre, Emmanuelle Haïm
Classical - Released by Warner Classics on 23 Nov 2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Claudio Monteverdi : L'Orfeo
Classical - Released by Warner Classics on 1 Mar 2004
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Haendel : Arias for Cleopatra from 'Giulio Cesare'
Natalie Dessay, Le Concert d'Astrée, Emmanuelle Haïm
Opera Extracts - Released by Warner Classics on 10 Jan 2011
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Une fête baroque
Classical - Released by Warner Classics on 13 Feb 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Henry Purcell : Dido and Aeneas (Didon et Enée)
Susan Graham, Ian Bostridge, Emmanuelle Haïm, Le Concert d'Astrée
Opera - Released by Warner Classics on 10 Feb 2004
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Haendel : La Resurrezione
Sacred Oratorios - Released by Warner Classics on 11 Sep 2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Magnificat - Dixit Dominus
Emmanuelle Haïm, Le Concert d'Astrée
Classical - Released by Warner Classics on 29 Oct 2007
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Lamenti
Emmanuelle Haïm, Le Concert d'Astrée
Classical - Released by Warner Classics on 10 Jan 2008
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Cantates
Natalie Dessay, Le Concert d'Astrée, Emmanuelle Haïm
Classical - Released by Warner Classics on 20 Oct 2008
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Handel: Messiah
Classical - Released by Erato - Warner Classics on 24 Oct 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Purcell: Dido and Aeneas
Susan Graham, Ian Bostridge, Emmanuelle Haïm, Le Concert d'Astrée
Classical - Released by Warner Classics on 10 Feb 2004
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Georg Friedrich Handel : Aci, Galatea e Polifemo
Classical - Released by Warner Classics on 22 Apr 2003
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Rameau: In convertendo Dominus: VII. Chœur. "Euntes ibant et flebant"
Classical - Released by Warner Classics on 4 Aug 2023
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
CANTATES & DUOS ITALIENS
Les Paladins, Jérôme Correas, Sandrine Piau, Emmanuelle Haïm, Marion Middenway
Classical - Released by ARION on 15 Apr 2001
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Une nouvelle fête baroque: Handel: Il trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno, HWV 46a: "È un ostinato errore" (Live)
Classical - Released by Warner Classics on 11 Mar 2022
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Une nouvelle fête baroque - Rameau: Les Boréades, Suite: Rondeau vif (Live)
Classical - Released by Warner Classics on 1 Apr 2022
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo