Conductor and soprano Barbara Hannigan has announced that she will be extending her existing contract as the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra’s principal guest conductor until summer 2025.
Hannigan’s Gothenburg connections date back to 2013, when she gave her first concert with the orchestra. That first collaboration featured the Canadian as conductor and soloist in works by Mozart, Rossini and Ligeti.
Later, for Gothenburg’s 2015-2016 season, Hannigan took up the role of artist-in-residence. Standout concerts that season included a performance of Alban Berg's Lulu Suite. Then, in 2019, Hannigan was appointed the orchestra’s principal guest conductor. Her repertoire with Gothenburg since then has included everything from Schoenberg's Verklärte Nacht to Gershwin's Girl Crazy Suite.
Hannigan and the GSO’s next performances will be on 28-29 September, when they perform Francis Poulenc’s solo opera La Voix Humaine. The production will feature Hannigan in the double role of singer and conductor.
Aside from her role with Gothenburg, Barbara Hannigan is also an associate artist with London Symphony Orchestra, and première artiste invitée with the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France.
'Barbara has a unique place in the world of music,' says Arna Einarsdóttir, head of planning at the Gothenburg Symphony. 'She is a source of great inspiration for both audiences and orchestras, always exploring new ways of performing classical music. There seem to be no limits to her creativity and amazing artistry.'
'It has been a wonderful experience these past years to work with the Gothenburg Symphony,' says Hannigan. 'We have so many interesting projects and are continuing to explore new possibilities. I am also excited to develop cross-disciplinary ideas which should reach new audiences.
'I would like our GSO concerts to inspire, challenge, and entertain our audiences; to give them pause for reflection; and to make them curious about what we will do next!'
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