New Release “55”: Katia & Marielle Labèque Celebrate 55 Years of Recording
KATIA & MARIELLE LABÈQUE CELEBRATE 55 YEARS OF RECORDING WITH A NEW RELEASE FEATURING 55 PIECES: 25 NEWLY RECORDED & 30 HISTORIC TRACKS
Fifty-five years after the release of their first recording, Katia and Marielle Labèque celebrate an extraordinary artistic journey with “55”, bringing together new recordings and archive selections spanning more than half a century. First released in 1970 under the artistic guidance of Olivier Messiaen, the Labèque sisters’ debut album marked the beginning of one of the most singular careers in contemporary music. “Visions de l’Amen was our very first recording. We were 17 and 19. Olivier Messiaen himself asked us to record it,” they recall.
In the early 1980s, their recording of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue became the first classical music gold record. A few years later, their version of West Side Story for two pianos and percussion was another major international success.
Since then, the Labèque sisters have consistently crossed boundaries between classical, contemporary, jazz, minimalism and popular traditions. Commissioning works from composers such as Philip Glass and Bryce Dessner, performing on stages worldwide - from Mozart to minimalist composers - their openness has never wavered, and they have successfully combined artistic rigor with popular acclaim.
3-CD box set
On “55”, Katia and Marielle Labèque demonstrate their enduring curiosity, their commitment to creation, and their unique role as bridges between eras, aesthetics and musical worlds. With women composers not featured prominently enough in their back catalogue, 13 of the 25 new tracks are composed by 10 different women.
“Their apparent silence was only a veil imposed by history. Their stories - extraordinary journeys and courageous destinies - resonate today with striking force.” - Katia & Marielle
Featuring 25 newly recorded tracks (2025) and 30 archive selections (recorded from 1970-2024), the 3-CD box set unfolds as three distinct and poetic yet closely connected worlds.
CD 1 – Wild is the Wind
A dialogue between popular traditions and classical writing, from Nina Simone and Margaret Bonds to Bernstein, Gershwin and Philip Glass. These performances highlight the porous borders between genres that have defined the Labèque sisters’ musical identity.
“We have always loved the way classical composers draw from popular music. These crossings - between jazz, song, rhythm and form - have shaped our identity from the very beginning.” - Katia & Marielle
CD 2 – Of a Bright Garden
A more purely classical programme shaped around the themes of gardens and childhood, conceived as places of awakening and memory. From Fanny Mendelssohn, Lili Boulanger and Marie Jaëll to Debussy, Ravel, Bizet and Brahms, this disc explores nature, intimacy and imagination across Romantic and 20th-century repertoires.
“Gardens and childhood are places of awakening and memory. This music evokes intimacy, imagination, and a sense of wonder that never leaves us.” - Katia & Marielle
CD 3 – Points of Light
A constellation of composers who have profoundly marked the Labèques’ artistic path and remain essential sources of inspiration, including Luciano Berio, Arvo Pärt, Philip Glass, Bryce Dessner, John Cage, Igor Stravinsky and Olivier Messiaen. Highlights include the world premiere recording of Berio’s Memory and key works from the duo’s long-standing collaborations with leading contemporary composers.
“These composers are our points of light - figures who have guided, challenged, and inspired us across decades of creation and performance.” - Katia & Marielle
Release: June 12, 2026
Label: Deutsche Grammophon