Barbara Hannigan
The Canadian coloratura soprano and conductor Barbara Hannigan, born in 1971 in Waverley, Nova Scotia, really isn’t like any other artist. Her home country, where they sing all kinds of music without any preconception, has probably helped her follow a musical path unlike any other, whose originality couldn’t fail to inspire the numerous composers who have written and still continue to write works for her.
She’s a special artist. Vocally first of all: her voice is unique, as much by its technical virtuosity, always expressive, as by the various colours she dons it, which allows her to sing everything with a formidable versatility. Second of all, synthetically: by letting her fiery theatrical temperament explode, Barbara Hannigan also knows how to bring her body and fascinating stage presence into play. And last of all, by combining genres as well, because this gifted all-around artist proves to be equally at ease conducting an orchestra, by triumphing as much in London, Munich, Brussels (at the Théâtre de La Monnaie), Milan (at the Scala), New York (at the Lincoln Center), etc., as in France at the Opéra de Paris, at the Châtelet, in Aix-en-Provence, where we see her stand at the side of great figures like Pierre Boulez, Henri Dutilleux or the greatest directors—an extremely rare occurrence for a singer at such an international level (we saw Placido Domingo, José Cura, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau and Peter Schreier try their hand at this, but only for a few limited attempts). Since 2011, Barbara Hannigan has had a privileged relationship with the “Ludwig” orchestra, composed of the best instrumentalists coming from various Dutch and international formations.
If Barbara Hannigan is first and foremost a great performer of the repertoire from the 20th and 21st centuries (Ligeti, Stockhausen, Andriessen, Knussen…) and a regular of the places that bring it to life (Manifesto Festival, Ircam…), she tackles the repertoire from the previous centuries—from Handel to Britten, to Gluck, Mozart, Janáček or even Stravinsky—, but always having her own take on it to make it an almost new creation. Because everything she sings is in close affinity with her soul and sensibility. To accompany her, some beautiful phalanges and conductors fight over her (the London Sinfonietta, Bamberger Symphoniker, Berliner Philharmoniker, Cleveland Orchestra, Orchestre National de France…, conducted by Peter Eötvös, Jonathan Nott, Sir Simon Rattle, Reinbert de Leeuw, Peter Rundel, Michael Gielen…).
© Qobuz / GG (2017)
Discography
19 album(s) • Sorted by Bestseller
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Infinite Voyage
Emerson String Quartet, Barbara Hannigan, Bertrand Chamayou
Klassiek - Released by Alpha Classics on 8 sep. 2023
Album of the week24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Vienna : Fin de Siècle (Webern, Berg, Schönberg, Mahler...)
Barbara Hannigan, Reinbert de Leeuw
Liederen (Duitsland) - Released by Alpha Classics on 24 aug. 2018
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Hans Abrahamsen : Let me tell you
Barbara Hannigan, Andris Nelsons & Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks
Wereldlijke vocale muziek - Released by Winter & Winter on 21 dec. 2015
Gramophone Editor's Choice24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
La Passione. Grisey, Nono, Haydn
Barbara Hannigan, Ludwig Orchestra
Klassiek - Released by Alpha Classics on 20 mrt. 2020
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Sehnsucht (Live in Rotterdam)
Barbara Hannigan, Raoul Steffani, Camerata RCO, Rolf Verbeek
Klassiek - Released by Alpha Classics on 21 okt. 2022
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Erik Satie : Socrate
Barbara Hannigan & Reinbert de Leeuw
Liederen (Frankrijk) - Released by Winter & Winter on 8 apr. 2016
Gramophone Editor's Choice24-Bit 192.0 kHz - Stereo -
Dance With Me
Ludwig Orchestra, Barbara Hannigan
Klassiek - Released by Alpha Classics on 11 mrt. 2022
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Crazy Girl Crazy
Barbara Hannigan, Ludwig Orchestra
Klassiek - Released by Alpha Classics on 1 sep. 2017
24-Bit 192.0 kHz - Stereo -
Chin: Le silence des Sirènes
Berliner Philharmoniker, Sir Simon Rattle, Barbara Hannigan
Concertmuziek - Released by Berliner Philharmoniker Recordings on 2 feb. 2024
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Britten
Barbara Hannigan, Amsterdam Sinfonietta, Candida Thompson
Klassiek - Released by Channel Classics on 1 jan. 2012
24-Bit 192.0 kHz - Stereo -
Written on Skin
Opera - Released by Nimbus Records on 1 feb. 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Henri Dutilleux : Correspondances
Barbara Hannigan, Anssi Karttunen, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Esa-Pekka Salonen
Klassiek - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 22 jan. 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Visman: Sables, Oxygène, Septet, New Heaven!
Schönberg Kwartet, Limburgs Symfonie Orkest, Barbara Hannigan
Klassiek - Released by Etcetera on 1 sep. 2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Defoort: House of the Sleeping Beauties
Asko Schönberg, Patrick Davin, Omar Ebrahim, Barbara Hannigan
Klassiek - Released by Fuga Libera on 5 nov. 2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Luca Francesconi: Etymo
Barbara Hannigan, Pablo Márquez, Benny Sluchin, IRCAM, Ensemble Intercontemporain, Susanna Mälkki
Klassiek - Released by KAIROS on 1 jan. 2007
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Ayres : In the Alps
Klassiek - Released by NBELive on 3 sep. 2010
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Gerald Barry: The Importance of Being Earnest (Live)
Barbara Hannigan, Peter Tantsits, Katalin Károlyi, Joshua Bloom, Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, Thomas Adès
Opera - Released by NMC Recordings on 22 sep. 2014
Gramophone Editor's Choice24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Rage d'amours
Asko Schönberg, Reinbert de Leeuw, Claron McFadden, Barbara Hannigan, Young Hee Kim
Klassiek - Released by Attacca on 3 okt. 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Messiaen
Barbara Hannigan, Bertrand Chamayou
Klassiek - To be released on 24 mei 2024 by Alpha Classics
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo