Barbara Hannigan's voices
Mine and that of the orchestra
Interview by Helmut Failoni — The Corriere della Sera Reading
The Canadian soprano he conducts comes to our country: the first appointment will be on the Santa Cecilia podium. “I propose the contemporary repertoire: I love it, while many avoid it. The interpreter that everyone should listen to? Barbra Streisand”
“My mother always told me that when I was, two, three years old, as soon as I heard music I started to squirm and smile. She said that for her I was the image of happiness.” Since then, although more or less another fifty years have passed, the sunny attitude of the singer (soprano) and conductor Barbara Hannigan (1971) towards music seems unchanged. His enthusiasm and passion blossom like wildfire. And the openness it has towards the most disparate sound universes appears unreserved. The chameleonic Canadian musician in her 25-year career has worked alongside masters such as Kirill Petrenko, Simon Rattle, Antonio Pappano and composers such as György Ligeti, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Pierre Boulez. He doesn't back down in the face of anything. It is the personification of the joy of making music. With fire in it. One evening he can direct Metamorphosen by Richard Strauss or become the protagonist of Lulu by Alban Berg and the next one perhaps sing songs by the medieval nun Hildegard von Bingen or interpret what the jazzman John Zorn wrote for her.
“The Reading” reached her by telephone in Gothenburg, Sweden, during the rehearsal break of one of the many concerts she gives both as director and soprano. From Sweden it will then move to Paris, Reykjavik, Zurich, Rome, Berlin, Naples and Spoleto (Perugia). Very often with different projects, among other things.
How do you choose such diverse and courageous programs?
“In the repertoires that I perform, there is always my whole heart and soul. I've never planned anything that I don't deeply believe in.”
Has it ever happened that a theater told you “this is perhaps better than not...”?
No. My ideas about programs stem from the trust and relationships I have with orchestras, with the public and with those who organize. They know that there's always a reason if I propose something, whether it's ancient or contemporary music.”
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How does she change from the role of singer to that of director, which she has now held for more than a decade?
“I'm always the same. Of course, when you are on the podium, the responsibility is enormous. But the best thing is that at that moment the understanding with the orchestra was born.”
It sometimes happens that the orchestrals are not immediately kind to a new conductor. That they want to test it.
Ride. “One of my mentors gave me some advice: if something negative happens, don't think it's directed at you, gloss over it. And then, after all, real musicians recognize their peers, the authenticity that exists between them. It only takes a few minutes.”
She has always had a lot to heart about contemporary music.
“I loved the modern repertoire right from the start. And when I started studying music, being naive, I was surprised that not everyone thought like me. Many colleagues didn't want us to have anything to do with that kind of thing. On the other hand, what can I say... I feel comfortable with it.”
By the way, John Zorz wrote several tracks for his voice. Does he tell us about it?
“Yes yes... We have been working together since 2015. He composed five/six incredible things. I also find him an enormous inspiration as a human being, not only from a musical point of view. He has a unique attention for the people who play with him. It has made me a better, stronger musician: working on it is a special part of my life. On July 7, I will return to the Spoleto Festival where I will perform his music with two different quartets, one classical and the other jazz. And on the 14th, always there, I will be again with the Orchestra di Santa Cecilia, also for Girl Crazy George Gerswin's suite.”
Salvatore Sciarrino wrote for her.
In 2015 he composed The new Eurydice according to Rilke, using two poems by the great author. Then he dedicated it to me Love & Fury (Songbook from Stradella), which we had our world premiere in Paris in December. It has a unique writing.”
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But where do you live now?
“The house is in Finistère, in Brittany.”
Sea, nature...
“I need trees, forests, rivers, lakes, sea, everything that is nature.”
Is he not well in the city?
“No, but when I work there I am happy, but only because I have the music.”
In 2017 she created 'Equilibrium' and in 2020 'Momentum', two beautiful projects to support young musicians.
“They are a way of giving back to the musical world some of the kindness and help I received in the past. A duty, for me now that I can afford it.”
Favorite singer now?
“Barbra Streisand. I would like all opera singers to be able to listen to his recordings from the Sixties and Seventies. She is incredible. Clever. Exciting. A great musician.”
Read the full interview on La Lettura - Corriere della Sera