Editing Barbara Hendricks

{{short description|American opera singer}}
{{about|the opera singer|the German politician |Barbara Hendricks (politician)}}

{{Infobox person
| name               = Barbara Hendricks
| image              = Barbara Hendricks par Claude Truong-Ngoc mars 2016.jpg
| image_upright      = .95
| caption            = A 2016 portrait of Hendricks
| birth_date         = {{Birth date and age|1948|11|20}}
| birth_place        = [[Stephens, Arkansas]], U.S.
| death_date         = 
| death_place        = 
| alma mater         = [[University of Nebraska–Lincoln]], [[Juilliard School of Music]]
| awards             = {{Plainlist|
*Commandeur of the [[Ordre des Arts et des Lettres]]
*Chevalier of the [[Légion d'honneur]]
*[[Prince of Asturias Awards|Prince of Asturias Award]] for the Arts
*[[Lions Clubs International]] Award}}
}}
'''Barbara Hendricks''' (born November 20, 1948) is an American [[lyric soprano]] and humanitarian. Born in [[Arkansas]], Hendricks studied chemistry and mathematics at the [[University of Nebraska–Lincoln|University of Nebraska]] before becoming a singer. She gained acclaim for her [[Opera|operatic]] roles from her 1974 debut onwards, and also performs [[Vocal jazz|jazz]] among other genres. Hendricks has been a [[United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees|UNHCR]] Goodwill Ambassador since 1987. She has lived in Europe since 1977, and in [[Basel]] since 1985. She is a citizen of [[Sweden]] following her marriage to a Swedish citizen.<ref name=BHbio>{{Cite web |url=http://www.barbarahendricks.com/site/biography/biography.htm |title=Biography |access-date=2010-04-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120305045839/http://www.barbarahendricks.com/site/biography/biography.htm |archive-date=2012-03-05 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Early life and education==
Hendricks was born in [[Stephens, Arkansas]] to Malvin and Della Mae Hendricks. Her father was a preacher in the [[Christian Methodist Episcopal Church|Colored Methodist Episcopal Church]], and her mother was a teacher. As a result of her parents' professions, the Hendricks family moved around the [[Deep South]], and Barbara grew up steeped in the black musical tradition. While living in Little Rock and attending [[Mann Arts and Science Magnet Middle School|Horace Mann High School]], she sang in [[Art Porter Sr.|Art Porter Sr.'s]] choir and babysat his children, prompting her to explore Porter's jazz collection.<ref name=nytimes>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/03/24/arts/arts-abroad-living-normally-for-opera-refugees-and-2-children.html|title=Arts Abroad; Living 'Normally,' for Opera, Refugees and 2 Children|last=Olson|first=Elizabeth|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|issn=0362-4331|date=March 24, 1998}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2022-07-04 |title=Soprano Hendricks is an Arkansas treasure {{!}} Arkansas Democrat Gazette |url=https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2022/jul/04/soprano-hendricks-is-an-arkansas-treasure/ |access-date=2025-04-11 |website=www.arkansasonline.com |language=en}}</ref> She briefly attended [[Lane College]] before transferring to the [[University of Nebraska–Lincoln]], graduating with a [[bachelor's degree]] in [[mathematics]] and [[chemistry]] at the age of 20.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Alumni Spotlight: Barbara Hendricks {{!}} College of Arts and Sciences {{!}} Nebraska |url=https://cas.unl.edu/news/alumni-spotlight-barbara-hendricks/ |access-date=2025-04-11 |website=cas.unl.edu}}</ref> During her time at Nebraska, she sung in the University Singers, and her chance participation in a vocal competition resulted in her attending the [[Aspen Music Festival and School]], where she met [[mezzo-soprano]] [[Jennie Tourel]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Voice for Change: Barbara Hendricks' Lifelong Commitment to Music and Human Rights |url=https://www.ifc.org/en/podcasts/creative-development/2024/barbara-hendrick-s-lifelong-commitment-to-music-and-human-rights |access-date=2025-04-11 |website=IFC |language=English}}</ref> Tourel encouraged her to apply to the [[Juilliard School]], and upon her acceptance, she studied with Tourel and participated in master classes led by soprano [[Maria Callas]]. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in music in 1973.<ref name=nytimes/><ref name=":0" />

She has two children, Jennie and Sebastian, with her former husband, Swedish pianist and impresario [[Martin Engstroem]].<ref>https://www.resmusica.com/2014/06/24/martin-tson-engstrom-the-verbier-festival-director-in-high-spirits/</ref>

==Musical career==
[[File:Barbara Henricks (Flickr).jpg|left|thumb|Hendricks at [[The Hague Jazz]] 2008]]
In 1974, Hendricks made her professional operatic debut in Europe at the [[Glyndebourne Festival Opera|Glyndebourne Festival]] and in America at the [[San Francisco Opera]]. During her career, she has appeared at major [[opera house]]s throughout the world, including the [[Paris Opera|Opéra National de Paris]], the [[Metropolitan Opera]], the [[Royal Opera House]], Covent Garden, and [[La Scala]]. In 1998 she sang Liù in the [[Turandot at the Forbidden City|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 appeared on film as Mimì in ''[[La Bohème (1988 film)|La bohème]]'',<ref>{{IMDb title|0094777|La bohème|(1988)}}</ref> and in 1995 she sang the role of Anne Truelove in the Swedish film ''Rucklarens väg'', an adaptation of [[Igor Stravinsky|Stravinsky]]'s opera ''[[The Rake's Progress]]''.<ref>{{IMDb title|0178008|Rucklarens väg}}</ref> In 2007, she appeared in the film ''[[Disengagement (film)|Disengagement]]'' by [[Amos Gitai]] and starring [[Juliette Binoche]].<ref>{{IMDb title|0871512|Disengagement}}</ref> She also recorded [[Gustav Mahler|Mahler's]] ''[[Das Lied von der Erde]]'', which is the main theme for the film.

Hendricks also performs [[jazz]] music and made her jazz debut at the [[Montreux Jazz Festival]] in 1994. Since that time, she has performed 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.

In 2004, at the [[Théâtre du Châtelet]] in Paris, she created the role of Angel in the world premiere of [[Péter Eötvös]]'s opera ''Angels in America'', after [[Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes|the play]] by [[Tony Kushner]].

In January 2006, she left [[EMI]], and created the new label Arte Verum for which she records exclusively.

In 2018, Hendricks sang "[[La Marseillaise]]" with the [[Choir of the French Army]] at the interment ceremony of [[Simone Veil]] in the [[Panthéon]].

==Humanitarian work==
[[File:José Van Dam, B.Hendrickx.jpg|thumb|[[José van Dam]] and Barbara Hendricks, Brussels 2006]]
Hendricks cites her upbringing in [[Jim Crow laws|Jim Crow-Era]] Arkansas as an inspiration for her extensive activist and humanitarian work.<ref name=":1" />

Hendricks was first appointed as a [[United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees|UNHCR]] [[Goodwill ambassador|Goodwill Ambassador]] in 1987, and has continued to serve up to the present, making her the longest-serving UN Goodwill Ambassador. She was named named Honorary Lifetime Goodwill Ambassador in 2002, and continues to be the only person who has received that title. In this capacity, she has traveled widely across Africa, Asia, and Europe, and performed at several [[List of Nansen Refugee Award recipients|Nansen Refugee Award]] ceremonies.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Barbara Hendricks |url=https://www.unhcr.org/us/prominent-supporters/barbara-hendricks |access-date=2025-04-11 |website=UNHCR US |language=en-us}}</ref>

In 1991 and 1993 Hendricks gave two concerts in the war-torn [[Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia|formerly Yugoslavian]] cities of [[Dubrovnik]] and [[Sarajevo]]. She performed in Sarajevo  with the Sarajevo Opera Chorus and jazz musician [[Sinan Alimanović]]. In 1998 she founded the Barbara Hendricks Foundation for Peace and Reconciliation, which seeks to facilitate reconciliation where conflicts have already occurred.

Since 2000, Hendricks has been a member of the Council of the Foundation for the Refugee Education Trust (RET). The RET is dedicated to post-primary education of refugee youth all over the world.

In 2001 she performed at the [[Nobel Prize]] ceremony in Oslo at the invitation of [[Nobel Peace Prize]] Laureate [[Kofi Annan]]. In May 2002, she performed at the [[East Timor]] Independence Day Ceremony.

==Awards==
In 1986, Hendricks was made a Commandeur of the [[Ordre des Arts et des Lettres]]; in 1992 she was awarded the rank of Chevalier of the [[Légion d'honneur]].<ref name=BHbio/> In 2000, she was awarded the [[Prince of Asturias Awards|Prince of Asturias Award]] for the Arts. In 2001, Hendricks received the [[Lions Clubs International]] Award for the work of her foundation. In 2015, Hendricks received the honorary degree Doctor of Fine Arts from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.<ref name=BHbio />

==References==
'''Notes'''
{{Reflist}}

'''Sources'''
* ''Adapted from the article [https://web.archive.org/web/20070930165548/http://www.wikinfo.org/wiki.phtml?title=Barbara_Hendricks Barbara Hendricks], from [[Wikinfo]], licensed under the [[GNU Free Documentation License]].''

==External links==
{{Commons category|Barbara Hendricks}}
*{{official website|http://www.barbarahendricks.com/home.htm}}
*[{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=barbara-hendricks-q29215|pure_url=yes}} AllMusic biography]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20170418205424/http://www.jazzure.com/barbara.html Interview]
*{{IMDb name|0376706|Barbara Hendricks}}
*[https://studsterkel.wfmt.com/programs/barbara-hendricks-discusses-her-career-music-education-and-opera Interview with Studs Terkel, April 3, 1978]

{{Prince of Asturias Award for the Arts}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hendricks, Barbara}}
[[Category:1948 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century African-American women singers]]
[[Category:20th-century American women opera singers]]
[[Category:African-American women opera singers]]
[[Category:American operatic sopranos]]
[[Category:Swedish operatic sopranos]]
[[Category:American women jazz singers]]
[[Category:American jazz singers]]
[[Category:Swedish jazz singers]]
[[Category:Swedish women jazz singers]]
[[Category:Aspen Music Festival and School alumni]]
[[Category:People from Stephens, Arkansas]]
[[Category:University of Nebraska–Lincoln alumni]]
[[Category:United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees goodwill ambassadors]]
[[Category:Commandeurs of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres]]
[[Category:Knights of the Legion of Honour]]
[[Category:Jazz musicians from Arkansas]]
[[Category:21st-century Swiss women opera singers]]
[[Category:21st-century American women]]