Barbara Bonney

You may hear Barbara sing Grieg's "Jeg elsker Dig" with Antonio Pappano, piano.

Ms. Bonney writes: "There is not much difference between the so-called "art-song" of the 19th and 20th centuries, and "pop-songs" of today; they reflect the mood of the times, the culture, and are an expression of the ideology and needs of our civilization. It is important to remind ourselves of history, to have a taste of different languages, and to be inspired by the music and the poetry."

Barbara Bonney is one of the world's most accomplished lyric sopranos.

She is widely recognised as one of the foremost lieder singers of her generation, and has performed her signature roles of Mozart and Strauss the world over. She has been praised for her radiant tone, interpretative gifts, and stylistic versatility in a repertoire that ranges from the Baroque to twentieth-century music. The engaging warmth of her personality, her thoughtful approach to programming, and her extraordinary ability to convey the nuances of a poetic text are most evident in the recitals that serve as the cornerstone of her career. Dedicated to guiding and inspiring the younger generation in the realm of song literature while she herself is actively performing, she frequently gives masterclasses for young singers.

Her impressive discography of more than 70 recordings encompasses the genres of Lieder, sacred and choral music, opera and contemporary works. She has recorded her favourite Mozart roles with Nikolaus Harnoncourt and the Concertgebouw Orchestra, as well as with original instruments and Arnold Östman. In her signature role of Sophie she appears in two video recordings of Der Rosenkavalier with Sir Georg Solti and Carlos Kleiber.

Appearances in 2000 are devoted entirely to concert and recital. Highlights of the season include appearances at the Salzburg Mozartwoche, recital tours of America, including appearances at the Tanglewood and Ravinia Festivals, and New York's Carnegie Hall. Miss Bonney also sings several recitals throughout Europe with appearances in London (Wigmore Hall), Munich, Paris, the Schubertiade in Feldkirch, and Amsterdam. In the Pacific region, Miss Bonney will give a concert and recital tour of Australia with the Sydney and Melbourne symphonies, a recital tour of Japan, and a concerts with the Saito Kinen Festival and Seiji Ozawa. Further concert tours include America with the Gothenburg Symphony, a European Tour with the Oslo Philharmonic (Janssons), and with the Concertgebouw Orchestra (Chailly), with Harnoncourt and the Concentus Musicus, with Riccardo Muti at La Scala, and a further tour with the Freiburg Barock Ensemble. She will also give lectures commemorating the Grand Tour of 'Swedish nightingale' Jenny Lind in the United States in 1850/51. Miss Bonney will receive an honorary Doctorate degree from her Alma Mater, the University of New Hampshire.