Country

:

France

Birth

:

1950 in Fontainebleau, France

Period

:

Baroque

Genre

:

Choral

 

 

Opera

 

 

Vocal

 

Guillemette Laurens is a French mezzo-soprano and early music specialist who has made a significant contribution to the world of classical music. Born on December 9, 1957, in Paris, France, Laurens grew up in a family of musicians. Her father was a composer and her mother was a pianist, which exposed her to music from a young age. She began her musical education at the Conservatoire National de Région de Paris, where she studied piano and singing. Laurens' interest in early music began when she was a student at the Conservatoire. She was introduced to the music of Claudio Monteverdi and was immediately drawn to the beauty and complexity of his compositions. She began to study early music in depth and became a specialist in the field. In 1980, Laurens made her professional debut as a singer with the Ensemble Vocal et Instrumental de Lausanne. She quickly gained recognition for her exceptional talent and was invited to perform with some of the most prestigious early music ensembles in Europe, including Les Arts Florissants, La Chapelle Royale, and Les Musiciens du Louvre. One of Laurens' most notable performances was in 1987, when she sang the role of Dido in a production of Henry Purcell's opera "Dido and Aeneas" at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris. Her performance was widely praised for its emotional depth and technical skill, and it helped establish her as one of the leading mezzo-sopranos of her generation. Over the course of her career, Laurens has performed in some of the world's most prestigious concert halls, including the Royal Albert Hall in London, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, and the Carnegie Hall in New York. She has also collaborated with some of the most renowned conductors and musicians in the world, including William Christie, Philippe Herreweghe, and Jordi Savall. In addition to her work as a performer, Laurens has also been active as a teacher and mentor. She has taught masterclasses at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris and the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis in Switzerland, and has served as a mentor to many young singers. Throughout her career, Laurens has received numerous awards and honors for her contributions to the world of classical music. In 1992, she was awarded the Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French government in recognition of her artistic achievements. She has also been awarded the Prix de la Critique and the Prix de l'Académie Charles Cros for her recordings. Today, Laurens continues to perform and record, and remains one of the most respected and admired mezzo-sopranos in the world of classical music. Her dedication to early music and her exceptional talent have made her a true icon of the genre, and her legacy will continue to inspire generations of musicians to come.

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