An American dream? (cd)

Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, Barbara Hannigan

Gershwin: Porgy and Bess: A Symphonic Picture (Arr. Bennett)
Copland: Dance Symphony
Rodgers, R: The Carousel Waltz (Arr. Walker)
Hannigan & Elliott (Arr.): At the Fair

With An American Dream?, Barbara Hannigan explores the complexities of American cultural identity. “I grew up in awe of America, but now my feelings are mainly nostalgic," she notes. The programme, recorded with her long-time partners, the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, uses "the fair" as a recurring theme to examine the friction between vibrant creativity and underlying darkness.

The album features Robert Russell Bennett’s iconic symphonic arrangement of Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess, a work that navigates themes of love, addiction, and racism. It is paired with Aaron Copland’s Dance Symphony, inspired by the silent film Nosferatu, and the dark Broadway overture The Carousel Waltz. The grand finale is the suite At the Fair, a joint creation by Hannigan and Bill Elliott. It features Hannigan’s vocals on "Have I Stayed Too Long at the Fair?" and Jule Styne's "Don’t Rain on My Parade," sandwiching an instrumental middle section where iconic American themes battle for pride of place.