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
27 album(s) • Sorted by Bestseller
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Electric Fields
Classical - Released by Alpha Classics on 9 May 2025
Qobuz Album of the WeekAvailable in24-Bit/48 kHz StereoBooklet available -
Erik Satie : Socrate
Mélodies (French) - Released by Winter & Winter on 8 Apr 2016
Available in24-Bit/192 kHz StereoBooklet available -
Infinite Voyage
Classical - Released by Alpha Classics on 8 Sept 2023
Qobuz Album of the WeekAvailable in24-Bit/96 kHz StereoBooklet available -
Stravinsky: Chamber Works
Classical - Released by Linn Records on 4 Oct 2024
Available in24-Bit/192 kHz StereoBooklet available -
Vienna : Fin de Siècle (Webern, Berg, Schönberg, Mahler...)
Lieder (German) - Released by Alpha Classics on 24 Aug 2018
4F de Télérama5 étoiles de Classica5 Sterne Fono Forum KlassikAvailable in24-Bit/96 kHz StereoBooklet available -
Messiaen
Classical - Released by Alpha Classics on 24 May 2024
Scherzo: Discos ExcepcionalesAvailable in24-Bit/96 kHz StereoBooklet available -
Dance With Me
Classical - Released by Alpha Classics on 11 Mar 2022
Available in24-Bit/96 kHz StereoBooklet available -
Crazy Girl Crazy
Classical - Released by Alpha Classics on 1 Sept 2017
4F de Télérama5 Sterne Fono Forum KlassikAvailable in24-Bit/192 kHz StereoBooklet available -
Hans Abrahamsen : Let me tell you
Secular Vocal Music - Released by Winter & Winter on 21 Dec 2015
Diapason d'orDiapason d'or de l'annéeDiapason d'or de l'année5 Sterne Fono Forum KlassikAvailable in24-Bit/48 kHz StereoBooklet available -
Britten
Classical - Released by Channel Classics on 1 Jan 2012
5 de DiapasonAvailable in24-Bit/192 kHz StereoBooklet available -
La Passione. Grisey, Nono, Haydn
Classical - Released by Alpha Classics on 20 Mar 2020
Choc de ClassicaDiapason d'orAvailable in24-Bit/44.1 kHz StereoBooklet available -
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Chin: Le silence des Sirènes
Concertos - Released by Berliner Philharmoniker Recordings on 2 Feb 2024
Available in24-Bit/96 kHz StereoBooklet available -
Gershwin: Porgy and Bess, a Symphonic Picture: VII. Bess, You is My Woman Now
Classical - Released by Alpha Classics on 13 Mar 2026
Available in24-Bit/96 kHz Stereo -
Gerald Barry: The Importance of Being Earnest (Live)
Opera - Released by NMC Recordings on 4 Nov 2014
Available in24-Bit/44.1 kHz StereoBooklet available -
An American Dream?
Classical - To be released on 22 May 2026 by Alpha Classics
Available in24-Bit/96 kHz StereoBooklet available -
Hannigan Sings Zorn Volume One (Live)
Classical - Released by Tzadik on 16 Aug 2024
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
Sehnsucht (Live in Rotterdam)
Classical - Released by Alpha Classics on 21 Oct 2022
Available in24-Bit/96 kHz StereoBooklet available -
Henri Dutilleux : Correspondances
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 21 Jan 2013
4F de TéléramaChoc Classica de l'annéeChoc de ClassicaDiapason d'orAvailable in16-Bit/44.1 kHz StereoBooklet available -
Written on Skin
Opera - Released by Nimbus Records on 1 Feb 2013
Choc de ClassicaDiapason d'orAvailable in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -