Various Composers - An American Dream (Barbara Hannigan)

Information

• George Gershwin - Porgy and Bess, a Symphonic Picture (arr. Robert Russell Bennett)
• Aaron Copland - Dance Symphony
• Richard Rodgers - The Carousel Waltz (arr. Don Walker)
• Barbara Hannigan, Bill Elliott - At the Fair

Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra

Barbara Hannigan, conductor

Date: 2026

Label: Alpha Classics

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Barbara Hannigan explores the idea of the American Dream through her programme An American Dream?, performed with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra. The album reflects on both admiration and nostalgia for American musical culture, alongside its underlying tensions of darkness and disillusionment, using the imagery of a faded fairground as a central metaphor. The repertoire spans works by major American composers, including George Gershwin, Aaron Copland, and Richard Rodgers, with orchestrations such as Robert Russell Bennett’s Porgy and Bess: A Symphonic Picture and Don Walker’s Carousel Waltz. The programme culminates in At the Fair, a collaborative suite with composer Bill Elliott, blending iconic American songs including “Don’t Rain on My Parade.” Through this concept album, Hannigan combines her dual role as soprano and conductor to offer a reflective, theatrically charged interpretation of American musical identity.

Barbara Hannigan is an internationally acclaimed artist known for her distinctive combination of soprano performance and conducting, as well as her strong commitment to contemporary music. She has collaborated with leading conductors, directors, and composers, including Sir Simon Rattle, Esa-Pekka Salonen, and Pierre Boulez, and has premiered more than 90 new works. She holds key conducting positions with ensembles such as the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra and the London Symphony Orchestra, and is appointed to lead the Iceland Symphony Orchestra from 2026. Her recordings for Alpha Classics have received major awards, including a Grammy. Alongside her performing career, she is also active as a mentor and educator, supporting emerging musicians through dedicated artistic initiatives.