Lorraine Hunt Lieberson
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Biography
Regarded as one of the finest American classical stars of her generation, Lorraine Hunt Lieberson was a mezzo-soprano singer known for the integrity and soul in her performances and was particularly associated with the baroque works of Handel. Raised in San Francisco by parents who were both involved in opera, she grew up playing piano and violin and was part of the Bay Area jazz scene before becoming principal viola player in the Berkley Symphony Orchestra. She returned to performing when she took part in a charity production of 'Hansel and Gretel' which played in prisons, including the notorious San Quentin, but she didn't start singing properly until she was 26-years-old when she worked with the innovative theatre director Peter Sellars on productions of 'Julius Caesar' and 'Don Giovanni'. She also sang with the classical groups Emmanuel Music and Les Arts Florissants and she met her husband director Peter Lieberson whilst starring at the Santa Fe Opera in his musical 'Ashoka's Dream' in 1997.
Her debut performance at the Metropolitan Opera in 1999 as Myrtle Wilson in the 'Great Gatsby' drew huge critical acclaim, and other career defining moments included her portrayal of Dido in Berlioz's 'The Trojans' and her recordings of Bach's cantatas 'Ich Habe Genung' and 'Mein Herze Schwimmt im Blut'. Though she was a shy character who rarely gave interviews, her maverick, ethereal style came to life on stage and she could blow critics away with the controlled tone and range of emotion delivered in her huge, belting voice. In later life she also made an album of Handel's arias and performed at Carnegie Hall with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, but after suffering with breast cancer, she passed away in 2006 aged 52. She received two posthumous Grammy Awards for Best Classical Vocal Performance, for 'Rilke Songs' in 2007 and in 2008 for 'Neruda Songs'.
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Albums
Top Tracks
- Track Popularity
- North and South - Book II: No. 2. Song
- North and South - Book II: No. 3. Dear, my compass
- North and South - Book I: No. 2. Late Air
- North and South - Book I: No. 3. Breakfast Song
- North and South - Book I: No. 1. Ballad for Billie (I)
- The Fairy Queen Z629, ACT 3: Song in Two Parts and Chorus: If Love's a Sweet Passion (CP/Chorus) featuring Mark Padmore
- The Fairy Queen Z629, ACT 2: Second Act Tune: Air featuring Mark Padmore
- The Fairy Queen Z629, ACT 3: Dance of the Green Men featuring Mark Padmore
- The Fairy Queen Z629, ACT 3: Overture: Symphony while the Swans come forward featuring Mark Padmore
- The Fairy Queen Z629, ACT 2: Song and Chorus: Hush, no more (RW/Chorus) featuring Mark Padmore
- The Fairy Queen Z629, ACT 2: Song: One charming Night (MP) featuring Mark Padmore
- The Fairy Queen Z629, ACT 2: Dance of the Followers of Night featuring Mark Padmore
- The Fairy Queen Z629, ACT 2: Song: I am come to lock all fast (LH) featuring Mark Padmore
- The Fairy Queen Z629, ACT 2: Song and Chorus & Fairies Dance: Sing while we trip it (CP/Chorus) featuring Mark Padmore
- The Fairy Queen Z629, ACT 2: Chorus: Now join your Warbling Voices all (Chorus) featuring Mark Padmore
- The Fairy Queen Z629, ACT 2: Song: See, even Night herself is here (SB) featuring Mark Padmore
- The Fairy Queen Z629, ACT 2: Trio: May the God of Wit imspire (HC/MP/RW) featuring Mark Padmore
- Médée, Act 3: "Dieu du Cocyte et des Royaumes sombres" (Médée, Chorus)
- Hippolyte et Aricie~Act 3. Cruelle mère des amours (Phaedre)
- The Fairy Queen Z629, ACT 2: Song: Come all ye songsters of the sky (HC) featuring Mark Padmore
- The Fairy Queen Z629, ACT 2: Prelude featuring Mark Padmore
- Bwv199: Aria: Tief Gebueckt Und Voller Reue
- The Fairy Queen Z629, ACT 1: First Act Tune: Jig featuring Mark Padmore
- Ya eres mia. Reposa con tu sueno en mi sueno.
