Renee Fleming
Renee Fleming
Renée Flemingis an American opera singer and soprano whose repertoire encompasses Richard Strauss, Mozart, Handel, bel canto, lieder, French opera and chansons, jazz and indie rock. Fleming has a full lyric soprano voice. She has performed coloratura, lyric, and lighter spinto soprano operatic roles in Italian, German, French, Czech, and Russian, aside from her native English. She also speaks fluent German and French, along with limited Italian. Her signature roles include Countess Almaviva in Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro, Desdemona...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionOpera Singer
Date of Birth14 February 1959
CountryUnited States of America
Renee Fleming quotes about
I was always a very good student.
Having to travel so much plays havoc with your personal life.
At this stage in my career, I don't have to take any big risks. You want to take a calculated risk, not one that leads to people saying 'yes, but there was that one time when she made that big mistake.' It's always a shame when that happens, especially if you've gotten by for decades without anything hugely tragic.
I've spent hours and hours doing research into Appalachian folk music. My grandfather was a fiddler. There is something very immediate, very simple and emotional, about that music.
Because everything about the voice interests me, I felt it would be fascinating to learn a completely different style of singing.
Contrary to the norm, as my technique improved my voice became higher.
Every singer eventually gets around to a Christmas disc.
I am so envious of my colleagues from 100 years ago who only sang new works, they hardly ever sang revivals.
For my own singing, I used to be attracted by the baroque, the flashier the better, but now I prefer a simpler, purer style.
I have not changed with the accomplishments. I've remained the same. If I had changed, great. You know, but I haven't.
I have a certain image that's more classic, and I'm happy to stay out of the fray.
A lot of performers don't want to leave the circuit, the European opera house circuit, partly because most singers don't sing many concerts, or at least not while they are in their prime.
My parents discussed singing every night over the dinner table; I had a tremendous music education.
I'm not exactly an angry young person.