1.Hanna’s first experience of being inspired by music was through her grandparents who introduced her to the story of Swan Lake, playing the music to her on their gramophone at their home in North Poland. She found the story so enchanting that she went on to put a performance of it on to her family— where she starred as the prima ballerina!
2. After completing the Opera Course at Guildhall School of Music, like many young singers, Hanna started in the Glyndebourne Chorus before going on to train at the National Opera Studio. She found her time at Glyndebourne an invaluable experience as it gave her ‘an excellent preview of what a career of an opera singer was really about’. Hanna has returned to work for the company several times over her career, playing roles such as Flora in Verdi’s La traviata and Der Komponist in Ariadne auf Naxos.
Hanna Hipp (C) Gerard Collett
3.Hanna went on to be accepted on to the distinguished Jette Parker Young Artists programme for young artists of exceptional talent at the Royal Opera House. The course ranges from body movement, stagecraft, fencing, vocal coaching, singing lessons and language tuition. Hanna described the course as a ‘dream come true’! She went on to make her first guest appearance at the Royal Opera House as Magdalene in Kasper Holten’s new production of Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg under Sir Antonio Pappano.
4. Particularly sought out for Berlioz’s Les nuits d’été, Hanna has sung in it with BBC Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre de Chambre de Paris, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and Oulu Symphony Orchestra. Hanna also received wide acclaim for her first performances as Octavian (Der Rosenkavalier) for Garsington Opera, The Observer describing her performance as “Hanna Hipp’s ideal, vivacious Octavian”.
5.Hanna makes sure she brings along some things from home when travelling around the world as a singer; her favourite mug, a yoga kit, some cook books and a Polish magazine! They all help her to feel a little more at home wherever she is across the globe.
We can’t wait to welcome Hanna Hipp to Lighthouse, Poole next week to perform two of Brahms’ much-loved choral works, Schicksalslied (Song of Destiny) and Alto Rhapsody.