The American-born soprano Barbara Hendricks (born 20 November 1948) is a renowned opera and concert singer. She is also known for her work as a human rights activist. Hendricks is currently a citizen of Sweden.

Early life and musical career

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 Francisco Opera. During her career she has appeared at all major opera houses throughout the world including the Paris Opera, the Metropolitan Opera, Royal Opera House at Covent Garden, and La Scala. In 1998 she sang Liu in the historical performance of Turandot at the Forbidden City in Beijing.

Hendricks has performed more than twenty roles, twelve of which she has recorded.

Hendricks has also appeared in film as Mimi in La Bohème and in 1994 she participated in an international prize-winning film production of The Rake's Progress singing Anne Truelove.

Hendricks also performs jazz music 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.

Human rights

Hendricks has dedicated much of her life to the plight of refugees and has been a long-time supporter of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. 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 formerly 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.

External links

• Barbara Hendricks home page

Adapted from the article Barbara Hendricks, from Wikinfo, licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.