NEWS

““ ... the indefatigable Barbara Hannigan, for whom the festival became an ironwoman musical triathlon of exacting singing, vital conducting and inspiring mentoring. “”

— LA Times

New album: MESSIAEN - out May 24th

Together with pianist Bertrand Chamayou, Barbara Hannigan is thrilled to announce the release of MESSIAEN, out May 24th, presenting his two major song cycles from the 1930’s. Existing in both the sensual and sacred realms, the Poèmes pour Mi are inspired by the precious relationship of Messiaen and “Mi” (his first wife; violinist and composer Claire Delbos). Chants de terre et de ciel also is born of Messiaen's marriage to Delbos, written just after the birth of their son, Pascal. Both cycles oscillate between hypnotic meditation and ecstatic songs of love, supported by Messiaen's intense spiritual faith. Inspired by Messiaen's words, "It is a glistening music we seek...", Hannigan and Chamayou have delved into the composer's complex language, searching for a natural and flowing music, whose roots reach from the earth up to a shimmering realm.

As a final work on the album, they have included a rarely performed "scena" of Messiaen, La Mort du nombre (1929), a dialogue between two souls, in which they are joined by the Canadian tenor Charles Sy and the Norwegian violinist Vilde Frang.

Release Date on Alpha Classics: May 24, 2024

Pre-order and listen to the first single here.

Barbara Hannigan named Chief Guest Conductor of Lausanne Chamber Orchestra for the 2024/25 season

The Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne has named Barbara Hannigan as its new Chief Guest Conductor, effective from the upcoming academic year beginning in September 2024.

Barbara expressed her enthusiasm for the collaboration, saying, "I'm eager to join my colleagues at OCL and commence my tenure as chief guest conductor. It's a tremendous privilege to work regularly with these musicians and present unique programs to the audience, showcasing the orchestra's remarkable artistic abilities."

This appointment follows a very successful initial collaboration between Hannigan and OCL last year, strengthening their partnership. With her inventive approach and artistic vision, Barbara Hannigan is poised to guide the Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne to new levels of musical excellence.

You can read more information on their website.

April Concerts

Symphony Orchestra. Poulenc's masterpiece is a piece which Barbara has interpreted to great acclaim. Earlier in the season, Ludwig Van Montreal hailed her performance: “We can talk about Hannigan's ‘La Voix humaine’ as we talk about Callas' ‘Tosca’ or Chéreau's ‘Ring’: interpretations, in the best sense of the term, so specific that no one else can reproduce them.” In the second half of the programme, Barbara conducts Richard Strauss's final tone poem, Metamorphosen, composed towards the end of the Second World War; this composition is tailored for a 23-person string orchestra.

Following on from this, Barbara performs in the unique project “Electric Fields”. The concerts take place in Budapest on April 10th and in Zürich on April 13th and 14th, and the programme features works inspired by Hildegard von Bingen, Barbara Strozzi, and Francesca Caccini. Hannigan collaborates with pianists Katia and Marielle Labèque as well as Creative Chair Bryce Dessner and sound innovator David Chalmin, who contribute electronic and visual elements to the experience.

Barbara concludes her month in Rome with the Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia. The programme is inspired by music associated with the theater, and features Copland’s Music for the Theatre, Haydn’s Sinfonia n. 90, Offenbach’s Gaîté Parisienne and Weill’s Youkali and Lost in the Stars. Barbara sings and conducts.

For tickets and more information on the La Voix Humaine concert at the Hapa Concert Hall, on April 5th, click here.

For tickets and more information on the Electric Fields concert at the Béla Bartók National Concert Hall on April 10th, click here.

For tickets and more information on the Electric Fields concert at Tonhalle Zürich on April 13th and 14th, click here.

For tickets and more information on the Music for the Theatre concert on April 18th, 19th and 20th, click here.

March Concerts

This March, Barbara Hannigan returns to Gothenberg, resuming her role as Principal Guest Conductor of Göteborgs Symfoniker. She sings and conducts three captivating concerts on March 7th, 8th, and 10th at the Konserthuset. The programme for the first two concerts commences with Prokofiev’s First Symphony Classical. Following this, is Benjamin Britten’s masterful song cycle, Les Illuminations, featuring Hannigan as soprano soloist. The second half of the program dazzles with Rossini's overture from Semiramide, and Igor Stravinsky’s innovative wind octet, culminating in Joseph Haydn’s majestic London Symphony No.104. Then, on Sunday, March 10th, Hannigan returns to the Göteborgs Konserthus for another concert featuring Hindemith, Schönberg, and Grammy-awarded contemporary composer Caroline Shaw.

As the Reinbert de Leeuw Professor of Music at the Royal Academy of Music London, Hannigan returns there on March 15th to conduct the Royal Academy Chamber Orchestra. The programme commences with Haydn’s Symphony No. 49, followed by two compositions by Hungarian composer György Ligeti: Ramifications for 12 string players, and an arrangement of three arias from the opera Le Grand Macabre for solo trumpet and ensemble, featuring trumpeter William Thomas. Also included is Claude Vivier’s Bouchara for soprano and instrumentalists, to be performed by Caroline Blair.

Wrapping up her schedule for the month, Barbara then journeys back to Paris to collaborate once again with the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France (where she is Première Artiste Invitée) for a concert on March 22nd. This programme celebrates some of the great American composers, featuring Charles Ives’ atmospheric Three Places in New England in contrast with Copland's evocative Quiet City. Samuel Barber’s Knoxville, Summer of 1915 emanates a subtle melancholy which is complemented by Gershwin's bittersweet Porgy and Bess suite arranged by Robert Russell Bennett. The program also features soloists Liv Redpath (soprano), Guillaume Jehl (trumpet), and Stéphanie Suchanek (English Horn).

For tickets to the concerts on March 7th and 8th with the Göteborgs Symfoniker, click here.

For tickets to the concert on March 10th, click here.

For tickets to the concert on March 15th with the Royal Academy Chamber Orchestra, click here.

For tickets to the concert on March 22nd with the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, click here.

Cover of Holland Herald

Barbara Hannigan takes center stage in the March edition of Holland Herald, the KLM Magazine. A few months ago, the team embarked on a journey to her home in Finistère, Brittany for an exclusive photo shoot and cover interview.

The interview delves into her multifaceted career as both a singer and conductor, showcasing her extraordinary contributions to the world of classical music.

Read the full interview here.

Juno Nomination for Classical Album of the Year 2024

Hannigan’s most recent recording, with the Emerson String Quartet and pianist Bertrand Chamayou, has been nominated for a Juno Award in the category of Classical Album of the Year. The ceremony will be held in Halifax Nova Scotia (where Hannigan was born) on March 23rd, and will be broadcast on March 24th.

To stream or purchase to Infinite Voyage, released on Alpha Classics, click here.

Cover of La Scena Musicale

Hannigan is featured on the cover of the February/March 2024 edition of the Canadian publication La Scena Musicale. Read the feature interview here.

February Concerts

After performing her Animatopia program with the Göteborgs Symfoniker, where she is Principal Guest Conductor, Barbara remains in Sweden to conduct Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress with current members and alumni of her Equilibrium Young Artists programme, as well as the Swedish Radio Choir and Swedish Chamber Orchestra. The production is directed by Josie Daxter and includes Tamara Bounazou as Anne, Elgan Llŷr Thomas as Tom Rakewell, Douglas Williams as Nick Shadow, Robin Bailey as Sellem, Tristan Hambleton as Trulove / Mother Goose / Wärter des Irrenhauses and Maggie Renee as Baba the Turk. Three performances take place in Orebro, and Stockholm and in Cologne, Germany.

For tickets and more information on the February 2nd performance at the Orebro Konserthus, click here.

For tickets and more information on the February 4th performance at the Berwaldhallen in Stockholm, click here.

For tickets and more information on the February 7th performance at the Kölner Philharmonie in Germany, click here.

Hannigan then returns to her native Canada, and the Maison symphonique de Montréal, where she presents the North American premiere of her production of Poulenc's La voix humaine, in which she performs the role of "Elle" and conducts, while interacting with a live video monitor.

"Poulenc's heartbreaking opera, La Voix Humaine, with text from Jean Cocteau's play of the same name, seems to present a situation in which a woman (Elle) is having a painful and final conversation with her ex-lover, in which we only hear her words, not his. This one-sided conversation is absolutely full of contradictions, lies, fantasy and desire. What I am most interested in, is the power, control, weakness and the ever-changing equilibrium of all of these aspects of "Elle". I find myself asking if there even is an ex-lover? What and who really exists within these deep and true emotions of love, loss and loneliness?" Also on the programme is Richard Strauss' Metamorphosen, a compellingly expressive and reflective composition performed by the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal.

The following week, Barbara leads two further concerts at the Maison symphonique de Montréal, featuring the contemporary piece In the half-light by Canadian composer Zosha Di Castri, which was written for her, and she premiered in 2022. Rafael Payare also conducts Bruckner’s “Romantic” Symphony.

For tickets and more information on the La voix humaine concerts on February 21st & 22nd, click here.

For tickets and more information on the In the half-light concerts onFebruary 28th & 29th, click here.

January Concerts

Barbara begins the new year in Winterthur, Switzerland, performing two New Years concerts at the Stadthaus with members of the Musikkollegium Winterthur. As their “Artistic Partner,” Barbara has a long established artistic relationship, having performed with the orchestra since 2022. For the first concert, which takes place on January 6th, Hannigan conducts the orchestra of the Musikkollegium Winterthur in a festive programme which takes its listeners on a musical journey from 19th-century France to New York’s Broadway, featuring Berlioz’s Le carnaval romain overture, op. 9, Faure’s orchestral suite Pelléas et Mélisande, op. 80, Rodgers’ Carousel Waltz and Offenbach’s La gaité parisienne arranged by Manuel Rosenthal. The highlight of the evening will undoubtedly be Gershwin’s Girl Crazy Suite, arranged by Bill Elliott, in which Hannigan both sings and conducts.

For the second concert on January 7th, Hannigan performs a different, more intimate programme with the Winterthurer Streichquartett and pianist Oliver Schnyder. Their programme consists of Schönberg’s Quartett Nr. 2 fis-Moll für Streichquartett und Sopran, Hindemith’s “Melancholie” Vier Lieder für Sopran und Streichquartett, op. 13, and Chausson’s “Chanson perpétuelle” für Sopran, Klavier und Streichquartett, op. 37.

Following on from these concerts, Barbara returns to continue her artistic partnership with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra as their Principal Guest Conductor (Hannigan's contract as Principal Guest Conductor was just extended until 2028). This is the second time that she is performing with the orchestra this season, with two concerts on 18th and 19th of January with the Gothenburg Symphony and French piano duo, Katia and Marielle Labèque, acclaimed for their dynamic piano performances. The concerts have been specially programmed by Hannigan, and are entitled "Animatopia." Developed in 2021, the programme centers itself on the theme of animals and the natural world, and includes highlights such as Roussel's animated Le Festin de l'araignée (Spider's Feast), Saint-Saëns' enigmatic Le Carnaval des Animaux, Satie's La pieuvre, and John Williams' beloved Jaws theme. They take place in the Great Hall, and also feature baritone Laurent Naouri and readings by Swedish actor David Dencik.

For more information and tickets to the concert in Winterthur on January 6th, click here.

For more information and tickets to the concert in Winterthur on January 7th, click here.

For more information and tickets to the concerts in Gothenburg on January 18th and 19th, click here.

Barbara Hannigan extends her role as Principal Guest Conductor with the Gothenburg Symphony

Today, the Gothenburg Symphony has announced their renewal of Barbara Hannigan's role as Principal Guest Conductor, extending her contract for another three seasons until 2028.

"I am absolutely thrilled to continue my collaboration with Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, as their Principal Guest Conductor! We have had so many exciting and inspiring concerts over the past years, and I know there will be many more!”

Barbara Hannigan has become a favorite of Swedish audiences and enjoys a special relationship with the orchestra, having made her debut with them in 2013. Since 2019, she has held the position of GSO's Principal Guest Conductor.

"We are incredibly happy that Barbara Hannigan chooses to stay with us. She is a world star. For the orchestra, her innovative concerts are always a way to develop and meet the audience in new ways" says Sten Cranner, CEO of the Gothenburg Symphony.

Having performed with the orchestra in October of this year, Hannigan returns for concerts with the orchestra in January and March, 2024.

December Concerts

Barbara returns to Munich to perform two concerts with the Münchner Philharmoniker on 14th and 15th December at the Gasteig. These concerts feature a North American inspired programme, consisting of Ives’ The Unanswered Question and Three Places in New England, Ruth Crawford Seeger’s Andante for string orchestra, a Traditional Icelandic Folk Song, entitled, Outborn, Haydn’s Symphony No. 44. “Trauer” and Claude Vivier’s Lonely Child, which features soloist Greek soprano Aphrodite Patoulidou, an Equilibrium Young Artists alumna, who recently performed the work alongside Barbara and the Cleveland Orchestra last month.

You can listen to a portion of their performance here.

The first of these concerts, on December 14th, is part of the "Jugendkonzert" series, a special series designed for a younger audience with moderator Malte Arkona.

Earlier in the month, as Première Artiste Invitée, Barbara reunites with the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France for two concerts. The first concert takes place on December 1st at the Philharmonie de Paris and features the world premiere of Salvatore Sciarrino’s Love and Fury. Dedicated to Barbara, the work consists of nine arias in special arrangements for soprano and orchestra by Sciarrino, taken from operas and cantatas by Alessandro Stradella. It is her great pleasure to bring this to the Maison de la Radio in Paris under the baton of Pablo Heras-Casado. The orchestra will also play Stravinsky’s Monumentum pro Gesualdo di Venosa ad CD annum and The Firebird.

The next concert, which takes place at the Philhar'Intime on December 3rd, consists of an entirely different programme. For this performance, under the baton of Marc Desmons, Barbara sings Webern’s Cinq chants sacrés op. 15 and Berg’s Sieben frühe Lieder, the latter arranged by Reinbert De Leeuw, who characterizes the work through intricate orchestration and echoes of Wagner, evoking a serene atmosphere inspired by the poetry Dehmel and Rilke, where the vocal lines languidly extend into a dreamlike ambiance. Also featured in the programme are Berg’s Adagio pour violon, clarinette et piano, and Webern’s Cinq mouvements pour quatuor à cordes, as well as Hindemith’s Kammermuzik No.1 which will be conducted by Barbara.

For tickets and information on the concert at the Philharmonie de Paris on December 1st, click here.

For tickets and information on the concert at the Philhar'Intime on December 3rd, click here.

For tickets and information on the Jugendkonzert at the Isarphilharmonie on December 14th, click here.

For tickets and information on the concert at the Isarphilharmonie on December 15th, click here.

Cover of Luister Magazine

Barbara Hannigan is featured on the cover of “Luister Magazine’s” November 2023 edition. Founded in 1952, “Luister” is the oldest independent classical music magazine in the Benelux and is published eight times a year. This edition contains information on Ms. Hannigan’s long-term collaboration with the Emerson String Quartet leading up to their retirement and also features a centenary tribute to the wonderful composer, György Ligeti.

To order a copy of this edition, click here.

The Cleveland Orchestra

Barbara conducts The Cleveland Orchestra in a program featuring works by some of her favorite composers: Haydn, Ligeti (in celebration of the composer's centenary), and Vivier. The concerts take place on November 9th, 10th and 11th in the Mandel Concert Hall. An emotionally intense concert, the programme culminates with Richard Strauss's Death and Transfiguration. The orchestra will be joined by soloist, Greek soprano Aphrodite Patoulidou, who is an Equilibrium Young Artists alumna.

The concert will be broadcast live at 8:00 pm on November 11th, both on Medici TV and on Cleveland’s own digital platform Adella.live, and will be available to stream for 7 days following the broadcast.

For tickets and more information, click here.

Watch Barbara’s “Programme Notes” series from social media, as she speaks about Ligeti’s Lontano:

John Zorn 70th Birthday Concerts

“One cannot transcend anything by staying on safe ground and it is in these intense moments that we can find deeper truths, bring mind and heart together — and begin to understand the soul and its workings in that courageous moment of letting go and going for it, the music will become alive in a special and heroic way — a way that is beyond just the notes on paper.”
- John Zorn

Barbara Hannigan is set to perform a series of concerts in Italy, France, and New York, celebrating the American composer John Zorn's 70th birthday, coinciding with the theatrical release of Mathieu Amalric's film trilogy dedicated to Zorn's work. The two artists connected several years ago, in 2015, and began their working relationship when Barbara premiered his piece Jumalattaret with pianist Stephan Gosling. A vocal and piano cycle inspired by Finnish mythology, Barbara premiered the work in 2019, and went on to perform several other pieces composed by Zorn. In addition Jumalattaret, the concerts this month will also feature Ab Eo, Quod, Split the Lark, Pandora's Box, Star Catcher, and more with a group of musicians including the composer himself.

Follow Barbara on instagram for more information on Zorn’s pieces.

For details and tickets to the Italy concerts on 30th and 31st October, click here.

For tickets and more information on the Philharmonie de Paris concert on November 1st, click here.

For tickets and information on the concert in New York at the Miller Theatre on November 16th, click here.

*Due to a family illness, Barbara has had to withdraw from her John Zorn performances at the Philharmonie de Paris on November 2nd, and her performances at the November Music Festival on November 4th.

Barbara’s statement from social media:

“I always do my very best to uphold each of my engagements, but in this case, it was necessary for me to return to Canada. Although I won’t be there to perform, I am sure you will still enjoy the performances of the other amazing musicians.

Thank you for your understanding during this difficult time, and I apologize for any disappointment this cancellation may have caused. I look forward to my performances with the Cleveland Orchestra on November 9th,10th and 11th.”

Infinite Voyage

Barbara releases her tenth album on Alpha Classics entitled Infinite Voyage, marking a significant collaboration between Barbara and the Emerson String Quartet, who disbanded in October after more than four decades as one of the world’s leading string quartets. The Guardian praised the album: “...the Emersons give both works warm, lustrous performances... Barbara Hannigan is the soprano in the Schoenberg, her elegance and cool, precise shaping of every phrase perfectly tailored to the keenly expressive vocal lines.” Featuring one of the most important chamber music works of the 20th century, Schoenberg’s Quartet No.2 for soprano and string quartet, the album also includes works by Hindemith, Berg, and Chausson’s heartbreaking Chanson perpétuelle, for which the ensemble is joined by pianist Bertrand Chamayou.

“The sheer sonic scope of this work takes us on a voyage into previously uncharted territory” say the Emerson musicians. “It’s a tall, gnarly tree to climb (all the way to another planet, it seems), yet one with deep and emotional roots”, continues Barbara Hannigan. “The soprano’s fin-de-siècle primal scream at the end of the 3rd movement, begging to be relieved of love, is a heavy hitter”.

“I cannot express how honoured I am to have had these years of performances with the Emersons, and what an unforgettable gift these recording days were.” Barbara Hannigan

“What unifies these stylistically disparate works is the expression of unfulfilled, perhaps unfulfillable yearning, as well as the composers’ absolute commitment to their aesthetic ideals. This has been an inspiring musical journey for all of us.” Eugene Drucker, Emerson String Quartet

The album has recently been named one of the “10 Best Classical Albums of the Year” by the Boston Globe, The Guardian and CBC Radio.

Order the album here.