Henriët Fourie, Soprano

Fearless soprano Henriët Fourie sings with “luminous tone and security,” (Chicago Classical Review) and “regularly leaves audiences agasp at her breath control and ethereal upper register.” (Vocal Arts Chicago) Her “exquisitely controlled” (Vocal Arts Chicago) and pristine vocal tone is “stellar… finely calibrated, with subtle variations in color.” (The Chicago Tribune) Celebrated for her “refreshingly modern interpretation(s) of both new and old... (and) finely nuanced renderings of complex music,” (Namibia Economist) Fourie’s career braids together exceptional skill in the areas of both early and new music performance.

Fourie emits an uncommon “vibrancy and urgency” (Chicago Classical Review) in oratorio performance, and has featured as a soloist at numerous festivals and concert series including The Ravinia Festival, June in Buffalo, The Piccolo Spoleto Festival USA, The Handel Week Festival, Chicago’s annual Schubertiade, and with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Elgin Symphony Orchestra, Slee Sinfonietta and the Bella Voce Sinfonia. Conductors she has worked with include such luminaries as Marin Alsop, Ricardo Muti, Carlos Kalmar, Andrés Arozco-Estrada, and Gil Rose on stages including Carnegie Hall, Chicago’s Orchestra Hall, and Pritzker Pavilion at Millennium Park. 

A dauntless performer with outstanding technique and attention to detail, Fourie eclipses the challenges of demanding new music with passion and poise. She has premiered works by Patricia Morehead, Zvonimir Nagy, Brad Robin and Éttiene van Rensburg, and received special attention for her performances of George Crumb’s Ancient Voices of Children and George Perle’s Thirteen Dickinson Songs. Additional new music experience includes soloing with New Music DePaul and the Outside the Box Festival, performing as a founding member with Fused Muse Ensemble which raises awareness for social and environmental issues through original multimedia performance, and collaborating with CUBE Ensemble. Fourie’s original recital program of newly set Afrikaans art songs, released on the CD Woestynblom in 2016, received praise for “a perfect vocal interpretation.” (Namibia Economist) Venues at which she has performed these songs include Frank Lloyd Wright's historic Unity Temple.

A sensitive and sophisticated collaborator, Fourie sings with In Mulieribus, Cappella Romana, and Cantores in Ecclesia. Her performance history includes countless concerts with respected early music ensembles including Rook, Ars Antigua, The Callipygian Players, and Portland Baroque Orchestra. She was a former member of the Chicago Symphony Chorus, the Grant Park Chorus,  Bella Voce, and the William Ferris Chorale.

A native of South Africa, Fourie resides in Portland, Oregon with her husband, trombonist Andrew Thompson, and their two sons Jurgen and Cornelius. Fourie holds degrees in Vocal and Piano Performance from the College of Charleston and a Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance from DePaul University where she studied with Julia Bentley.