Background
Haïm grew up in Paris, and was raised Catholic although her father is Jewish. Her musical education began early, after her father"s purchase of a grand piano, and a visit to her family by Zoltán Kocsis when she was age 8.
Haïm grew up in Paris, and was raised Catholic although her father is Jewish. Her musical education began early, after her father"s purchase of a grand piano, and a visit to her family by Zoltán Kocsis when she was age 8.
Haïm spent 13 years studying at the Conservatoire Supérieur de Musique et de Danse in Paris, where she studied organ with André Isoir.
She was also interested in dance as a child, but was diagnosed with a curved spine at age 10, and wore a body corset for 10 years. William Christie invited her to work with his ensemble Les Arts Florissants, as a continuo player and musical assistant. On Christie"s recommendation, she later worked as a coach and assistant to Simon Rattle, as well as a guest artist with Rattle.
After several years, Haïm left Les Arts Florissants to become a conductor.
In 2000, she formed her own baroque era ensemble, "Le Concert d"Astrée", with which she has conducted and toured regularly. Haïm"s 2001 conducting debut with Glyndebourne Touring Opera, in a production of Handel"s Rodelinda, brought her to wider artistic notice.
She returned to Glyndebourne in 2006 to conduct their production of Giulio Cesare. Her first conducting appearance at The Proms was in July 2008.
Her United States conducting debut was in 2003, with Chicago Opera Theater.
On November 2, 2007, she became the first woman to conduct at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, conducting Giulio Cesare. Her first United States conducting appearance with a symphony orchestra was in November 2011, in Los Los Angeles She is the mother of a daughter, Louise, from her relationship with oboist Laurent Decker.
Haïm has a recording contract with Virgin Classics.
Her collaborators have included Natalie Dessay, Ian Bostridge, Rolando Villazón, Philippe Jaroussky, Susan Graham, Sara Mingardo and Laurent Naouri. Discography (extract) Handel, Arcadian Duets with Natalie Dessay, Laura Claycomb, Véronique Gens et al.
(2002, Virgin Classics) Purcell, Dido and Aenas with Susan Graham, Ian Bostridge et al. (2003, Virgin Classics) Monteverdi, L"Orfeo with Ian Bostridge, Natalie Dessay, Véronique Gens et al.
(2004, Virgin Classics) Handel, Delirio with Natalie Dessay (2005, Virgin Classics) Monteverdi, Il Combatimento Di Tancredi I Clorinda with Rolando Villazón et cetera al.
(2006, Virgin Classics) Handel, Il Trionfo del tempo e del disinganno with Natalie Dessay, Ann Hallenberg et al. (2007, Virgin Classics) Lamenti with Rolando Villazón, Natalie Dessay, Véronique Gens, Joyce DiDonato et al. (2008, Virgin Classics) Bach, Cantatas with Natalie Dessay (2008, Virgin Classics) Handel, Cleopatra with Natalie Dessay (2011, Virgin Classics) Une fête baroque with Natalie Dessay, Ann Hallenberg, Philippe Jaroussky, Rolando Villazón et al.
(2012, Virgin Classics).
