Barbara Hannigan - Taking Risks

Accentus Music and the Gothenburg Symphony accompany Barbara Hannigan preparing her first opera production as a conductor and recruiting the singer cast.

"I have never received a role through an audition," admits Barbara Hannigan. The fact that she is nevertheless today one of the most famous voices of the classical world shows that getting roles can be done differently. And the Canadian does almost everything differently.

Now, "the old soprano and young conductor," as she ironically describes herself for her two talents, will conduct her first opera: Stravinsky’s “The Rake’s Progress”. Rather than recruiting the singer cast through agencies and general auditions, she suggested to find the entire cast of soloists using an alternative three-stage selection process and to accompany the soloists throughout the entire rehearsals with significant personal commitment.

The film follows all stages of the production, starting with the entire casting process and the very first auditions in Stockholm, Paris, Zurich, and London. It has also filmed the selection made by Barbara Hannigan in Berlin and will accompany the first joint workshop of all chosen singers in Paris later this year. The coaching, rehearsals, and the premiere of the semi-staged production of Stravinsky's opera in Gothenburg in December 2018 will be filmed as well.