Barbara Hendricks
From Wikinfo
Barbara Hendricks, (born 20 November 1948), is an American-born classical musician and human rights activist. She is currently a citizen of Sweden.
Contents |
Early life and musical career
Barbara Hendricks was born in Stephens, Arkansas. She graduated from the University of Nebraska with a Bachelor's degree in Mathematics and Chemistry at the age of 20. She then attended Juilliard School of Music in New York where she studied with mezzo-soprano Jennie Tourel and graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Music.
In 1974 Hendricks made her professional operatic debut in Europe at the Glyndebourne Festival and in America at the San Francicso Opera. During her career she has appeared at all major opera houses throughout the world including the Paris Opera, the Metropolitan Opera, Covent Garden, and La Scala. In 1998 she sang 'Liu' in the historical premiere performance of Turandot at the Forbidden City in Beijing. Hendricks is acclaimed for her vast repertoire which includes more than 20 roles, 12 of which she has recorded.
Hendricks established herself as a leading classical recording artist and has made nearly 80 recordings with leading conductors. For nearly twenty years her solo recordings have been made exclusively for EMI CLASSICS.
Other Interests
Hendricks has not limited her musical career to classical opera and made her jazz debut at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1994. Since that time she has played at major jazz festivals around the world. Hendricks is also known for her love of chamber music and has organized a number of chamber music festivals.
Hendricks has also appeared in film as Mimi in [[La Boh�me]] and in 1994 she participated in an international prize-winning film production of The Rake's Progress singing 'Anne Truelove'. In 1999 she was a member of the jury at the International Film Festival in Cannes.
Human Rights
Hendricks has dedicated much of her life to the plight of refugees and has been a long-time supporter of UNHCR. She has been named Honorary Ambassador For Life by UNHCR and performs special tasks for that organization.
In 1991 and 1993 Hendricks gave two concerts in the war-torn Yugoslavian cities of Dubrovnik and Sarajevo. In 1998 she founded the Barbara Hendricks Foundation for Peace and Reconciliation which seeks to facilitate reconciliation where conflicts have already occurred.
In 2001 she performed at the Nobel Prize ceremony in Oslo, Norway at the invitation of Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Kofi Annan. In May 2002 she performed at the East Timor Independence Day Ceremony.
She has lived in Europe since 1977, is a Swedish citizen and the proud mother of a son and daughter.
Awards
Hendricks is the recipient of numerous awards for her music and her humanitarian work. These awards and honors include:
- Doctorat Honoris Causa from the University of Louvain in Belgium
- Doctor in Law from the University of Dundee in Scotland
- Doctor of Music from Nebraska Wesleyan University
- Doctorat Honoris Causa from the University of Grenoble in France
- Honorary Doctor of Music from Juilliard School of Music in New York
- Member of the Swedish Academy of Music
- Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres from the government of France
- [[Chevalier de la L�gion d'Honneur]] by the government of France
- Winner of the Prince of Asturias Foundation Award for the Arts from Spain
- Lions Club International Award
- Inducted into the Arkansas Entertainers Hall of Fame
