La Voix humaine with Barbara Hannigan
About This Event
Barbara Hannigan, known for performances in contemporary and classical music and for her work as a conductor, presents La Voix humaine at David Geffen Hall. She is joined by Clemens Malinowski, whose rehearsal craft emphasizes clarity and structural pacing, and by French visual artist Etienne Démoulin, contributing visual and performative elements to the staging.
About La Voix humaine(opera)
Grant Triplow
Francis Poulenc’s *La Voix humaine* is a one-act, roughly 40-minute opera that compresses an entire breakup into a single phone call, heard from the woman’s side only. Adapted from Jean Cocteau’s play, it treats technology as a conduit for intimacy and for distortion, with the orchestra translating what the line will not carry. At David Geffen Hall, Barbara Hannigan performs with the New York Philharmonic, joined by Clemens Malinowski and visual artist Etienne Démoulin in a staging shaped by rehearsal craft and image-making. In New York, the piece reads as a mid‑century portrait of urban solitude, still current in an age of mediated speech.
About the Artists
Barbara Hannigan
Barbara Hannigan is a Canadian soprano and conductor known for her performances in contemporary and classical music, as well as her innovative interpretations of operatic roles.
Clemens Malinowski
Clemens Malinowski is a classical musician whose work has been heard at New York City’s David Geffen Hall. He has collaborated with performers including Barbara Hannigan and Etienne Démoulin, including a presentation of *La Voix humaine* with Hannigan.
Etienne Démoulin
Etienne Démoulin is a French artist known for their work in the field of visual arts and performance.