Renée Fleming Interviews Francesca Zambello About "Showboat"

Opera seasons are about to launch all across America and everyone is getting out their calendars to plan for which performances will take top priority in their ticket-purchasing budgets. If you are looking for a long romantic weekend around Valentine's Day, then the Lyric Opera of Chicago is the place to be. The company will be performing the musical Showboat on February 12 at 2:00 PM and February 13 at 7:30 PM. Music is by Jerome Kern and the book & lyrics are by Oscar Hammerstein II. Watch a video of Renée Fleming interviewing the director of the show, Francesca Zambello, by clicking here. To learn more about the cast, production and ticket information, click here.

Congratulations to Newly Married Renée Fleming

According to Parterre, soprano Renée Fleming was married to Tim Jessell on September 3, 2011. The opera star has two daughters, Sage and Amelia, from her first marriage to Rick Ross. Congratulations for a happy future! [Source]

Rolex Releases New Ad For Renée Fleming

"She knows no intermission. Tonight's performance may be over, but she is already on to the next act. There are many revered sopranos of this generation, but only a few will define it." [Source]

A continual supporter of opera singers in their advertising, Rolex has featured Ms. Fleming in several incarnations. Check out a few more after the jump.

"Lucia di Lammermoor" Sextet Makes a Cameo in 1949 Film

A LETTER TO THREE WIVES
"Lora May Hollingsway, who grew up next to the wrong side of the tracks, married her boss who thinks she is just a gold digger. Rita Phipps makes as much money writing radio scripts at night as her school teacher husband does. Deborah Bishop looked great in a Navy uniform in WWII but fears she'll never be dressed just right for the Country Club set. These three wives are boarding a boat filled with children going on a picnic when a messenger on a bicycle hands them a letter addressed to all three from Addie who has just left town with one of their husbands. They won't know which one until that night." [Source]

CAST:
Jeanne Crain as Deborah Bishop
Linda Darnell as Lora Mae Hollingsway
Ann Sothern as Rita Phipps
Kirk Douglas as George Phipps
Paul Douglas as Porter Hollingsway
Classical music used in the film includes Concerto No. 2 in B Flat Major, Op. 83 by Brahms and Wein, weib und Gesang, Op. 333 by Johann Strauß. Watch how a piano reduction of "Chi mi frena in tal momento?", which begins the sextet from Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor, creeps into the 1949 film from director Joseph L. Mankiewicz:

Enjoy a couple classic clips of the vocal version of the Lucia sextet after the jump.

Contemporary Interpretations of Leonora in "Il Trovatore"

Listen to some of the sopranos from the last decade to take on the challenging role of Leonora in Verdi's Il Trovatore. Following are samples of the difficult aria "D'amor sull'ali rosee" by a few well-known artists, as well as some new contenders:







BONUS: Renée Fleming singing "Tacea la notte" after the jump.

Side-by-Side: Renée Fleming Sings "Měsíčku na nebi hlubokém"

Kenneth Lonergan's Film "Margaret" Will Feature Opera

"Eleven years after his heralded first film, You Can Count on Me, director Kenneth Lonergan’s sophomore effort is finally going to be released. Margaret, the story of 'a 17-year-old New York City high-school student who feels certain that she inadvertently played a role in a traffic accident that has claimed a woman’s life,' will receive a limited-platform release on Sept. 30, according to Fox Searchlight. Filmed in 2005 with an eclectic cast that includes Matt Damon, Anna Paquin, Mark Ruffalo, Allison Janney, and Matthew Broderick, the movie has been stuck in limbo after Lonergan initially submitted a three-plus hour cut that was deemed unreleasable by the studio. Dueling lawsuits were filed in 2009, and several high-profile Hollywood powerbrokers were recruited to mediate the dispute and persuade the director to deliver a shorter, more commercial film. Fans of the actors and Lonergan, who has also cowritten films such as Gangs of New York, will be eager to see on Sept. 30 what ultimately made the released version — so they can then speculate about what did not." [Source]

The film is rumored to have lots of opera, but only one clip is confirmed: "Belle nuit, ô nuit d'amour" from Offenbach's Les contes d'Hoffmann sung by Renée Fleming and Susan Graham. There is one scene when mother Joan (J. Smith-Cameron) and daughter Lisa (Anna Paquin) attend the opera and the event becomes quite emotional. No word on whether this is where Offenbach fits in the film.

[Source, Source]

LOC Rehires Development Officer to Aid Fleming Initiative

Mr. Jabin: Gladly accepting
your financial donation.

"Christopher Jabin has been appointed Lyric Opera of Chicago’s director of institutional giving. 'We are very pleased to welcome Chris Jabin back to Lyric in this important capacity. His experience and knowledge in the development field will be key as we raise additional funds to implement new initiatives and programs,' said Mary L. Selander, director of development. Starting in the new position on September 7, Jabin will focus on securing new revenues from nationally-based funding sources. Lyric’s goal is to augment funding for special projects such as the Renée Fleming Initiative, and expanded education and community engagement programs – a priority for Lyric’s

Renée Fleming & Sir Andrew Davis

incoming general director, Anthony Freud. Jabin is currently executive vice president, development of the John G. Shedd Aquarium, where he has worked since 2001. Previously he served as director of development for the Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art. Jabin began his career at Lyric Opera of Chicago in the late 1980s as an assistant director of development." [Source]

Renée Fleming Sings Mozart at Royal Wedding in Monaco

If you can suffer the Russian chatter of the announcers and the work being cut off early, you can get a glimpse of Renée Fleming singing "Laudate Dominum" by Mozart for the royal wedding of Prince Albert to Charlene Wittstock. Other soloists included Andrea Bocelli and Juan Diego Flórez. After jump is a complete list of musical selections from the ceremony.

Two Sinfonias from Cantata No. 35 – J.S. BACH
Orchestra: “Royal Fireworks Music” – G.F. HANDEL
“Celebration” from “Standing Stone” – P. McCARTNEY
“Celebration” from “Standing Stone” – P. McCARTNEY
Gloria “Coronation” Mass KV. 317 – W.A. MOZART
"Bénis le Seigneur, l’Eternel” – H. CAROL
Alleluia from the "Jubilee” – J.P. LECOT
Chorus “Credo, credo, credo, Amen!”
“Click Song” (South African song)Soloist: Pumeza MATSHIKIZA
“Lord hear our prayer”
“Laudate Dominum” KV 339 – W.A. MOZART Soloist: Renée FLEMING
Sanctus “Coronation” Mass KV.317 – W.A. MOZART
“Let us proclaim the mystery of faith”
“Through Him, with Him, and in Him”
Agnus Dei "Coronation” Mass KV.317 – W.A. MOZART
Poco Adagio from Symphony No. 3 – C. SAINT-SAENS
“A l’image de ton amour” J.P. LECOT
“Ave Maria” – F. SCHUBERT Soloist: Andrea Bocelli
“Rejoice Greatly” from the Messiah – G.F. HANDEL Soloist: Juan Diego FLOREZ
Extracts from the Symphony No. 3 - C. SAINT-SAENS

Fleming, Calleja, Mehta LIVE in Theaters for Jerusalem Concert

The concert entitled "Live from Jerusalem," that features Zubin Mehta conducting the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra with soloists Renée Fleming and Joseph Calleja honoring the legacy of American tenor Richard Tucker, will be broadcast by NCM Fathom and Mod 3 Live in a Delayed Live Broadcast in more than 475 select movie theaters nationwide on Thursday, July 28, 2011, at 7:00 pm (local times). Filled with majestic arias and duets, the spectacular performance will include a sweeping visual and audio experience that will bring down the curtain on the Jerusalem Season of Culture 2011. [Source]

Click here to find a list of theaters for the event.

Renée Fleming Illumine la Scène de l’Opéra Bastille

Some stunning photos from the Andrei Serban production of Verdi's Otello taking place at l'Opéra National de Paris - Opéra Bastille. Head over to www.paperblog.fr for more high-resolution images. Conducted by Marco Armiliato, singers featured include Renée Fleming (Desdemona), Aleksandrs Antonenko (Otello), Lucio Gallo (Iago), Michael Fabiano (Cassio), Francisco Almanza (Roderigo) and Nona Javakhidze (Emilia).

Renée Fleming Confirmed For Monaco Wedding of Prince Albert

"Un office retransmis sur grands écrans dans la ville, avec la participation évoquée de la soprano américaine Renee Fleming et plus de 4.300 invités, "épaules couvertes" pour les femmes. Parmi les personnalités confirmées, Karl Lagerfeld, Inès de la Fressange, le président de la Fédération internationale de l'automobile Jean Todt, celui du CIO Jacques Rogge, le roi de Suède, le président libanais Michel Sleimane, la présidente irlandaise Mary McAleese. Nicolas Sarkozy sera présent, selon son entourage, mais rien n'est décidé pour son épouse. Le prince William et Catherine seront en voyage officiel au Canada." [Source]

Ann Patchett Talks Benefits of Friendship with Renée Fleming

Party pals: Fleming (l) & Patchett (r)

"Patchett divides her career into two distinct phases: before and after Bel Canto. Before her fourth novel became a paperback bestseller, Patchett struggled. Her second novel Taft could not live up to the passionately personal promise of her debut, and the fact that it is so little read still rankles. She calls it her 'neglected child . . . it's as if it smells or it's sticky or something.' But Bel Canto, a stylish and theatrical kidnapping fantasy set in an unnamed South American capital, was a game-changer. 'I sort of jumped into a different kind of bracket," she says bluntly. 'I've met so many interesting people because of it. I've become very close friends with Renée Fleming [the American soprano] because of that book, it's like I'm invited to better parties now, ha ha.'" [Source]

Renée Fleming and Thomas Hampson Talk Opera

Renée Fleming, Thomas Hampson and Christian Thielemann in conversation with Sarah Willis, horn player with the Berliner Philharmoniker. Recorded in the Berlin Philharmonie, 7 May 2011.

Fleming, Hampson and Thielemann in Berlin Pay-Per-View

Visit the Berlin Philharmonic digital concert hall to purchase excerpts from the all-Strauss concert with Renée Fleming and Thomas Hampson under conductor Christian Thielemann at http://www.digitalconcerthall.com/en/concert/1641. Full program is after the jump.


Richard Strauss

Traum durch die Dämmerung, Op. 29 No. 1 · Hymnus, Op. 33 No. 3 · Notturno, Op. 44 No. 1 · Gesang der Apollopriesterin, Op. 33 No. 2 · Pilgers Morgenlied, Op. 33 No. 4 · Winterliebe, Op. 48 No. 5 · Waldseligkeit (43:57)
Renée Fleming Soprano, Thomas Hampson Baritone

Selections from Arabella: Prelude to the third act · Duet “Sie woll’n mich heiraten” · Duet “Und du wirst mein Gebieter sein” (20:17)
Renée Fleming Soprano, Thomas Hampson Baritone

Festliches Präludium (16:32)

Christian Thielemann, Renée Fleming and Thomas Hampson in conversation with Sarah Willis (20:12)

Christian Thielemann and Richard Strauss: a long-standing love affair if ever there was one. However, the conductor never follows blindly, but inquisitively investigates the dual nature of his music: “With Strauss, I try to balance two aspects which seem to be mutually exclusive: transparency and richness. I try to achieve a certain lightness and at the same time give the heavier sections their due. With all its pathos, and its tendency towards the bombastic - this music ultimately has an innocent simplicity.”

This combination of lightness and sophistication can be seen in the works chosen for this concert. For example, in the excerpts from Arabella: a stage work which combines the mellifluousness and charm of Viennese operetta with sophisticated orchestration and finely-drawn characterisation. Just how masterfully Strauss - who was married to a singer - knew what could be done with the human voice can also be heard in a selection of songs, one of which, the Gesang der Apollopriesterin Op. 33 No. 2, was given its premiere in a Berliner Philharmoniker concert in 1896, conducted by Strauss himself.

The soloists for this evening's concert are two of the greatest American singers of our time. An early milestone in Renée Fleming's career was the Berliner Philarmoniker's New Year's Eve concert in 1992, which was broadcast on television all over the world. Even then, as the Marschallin in excerpts from Rosenkavalier, the soprano demonstrated just what an outstanding interpreter of Strauss she was. Thomas Hampson is also just as much at home with the music of Strauss. Like Christian Thielemann, he appreciates the multifaceted nature of this repertoire - particularly the role of Mandryka in Arabella: “He has his dark moments, leavened with a lot of humor. His fate is complex - even when he smiles, his eyes are deep and dark.”

The two orchestral works of the evening - the Festliches Präludium and the Festmusik der Stadt Wien - are rarely performed nowadays. Strauss wrote the Festmusik in way of thanks for the prize in the Beethoven Competition in Vienna which he received from Baldur von Schirach in 1942. However, it only received its premiere in Vienna in May 1943 as part of celebrations for the “5th Day of the Greater German Reich”, an occasion for which it had not been composed.

Similarily, the Festliches Präludium, which was composed in 1913 for the opening of the Wiener Konzerthaus, was also used by those in power at National Socialist events. This fate was shared by works by other composers, not only by Richard Strauss. With this performance, Christian Thielemann on the other hand, would like to focus attention once again on the musical qualities of the works: “And how wonderfully Strauss could write, even for - I don't know - something I think he did not take very seriously. It was simply the joy of composing, the joy of making music, something Strauss himself said about the Festliches Präludium.”

Renée Fleming in Budapest for Hungarian State Opera Concert

The soprano made an appearance at the U.S. Embassy as a guest of Ambassador Eleni Tsakopoulos Kounalakis to discuss the importance of funding the arts and stressed the positive effects for young singers to learn more about each other around the world through technology. Other guests included soprano Erika Miklósa, dancer Popova Aleszja, conductor György Ráth Győriványi, baritone Ádám Horváth, film directors István Szabó and Csaba Káel, Hungarian film commissioner Andrew G. Vajna, folk singer Márta Sebestyén and businessman Gábor Kovács. She also did a bit of sight-seeing and claims to be charmed by Budapest. [Source]

More photos after the jump.

Renée Fleming Sings For the People of Japan

"For the People of Japan is a YouTube channel created by cellist Yo-Yo Ma to give space for a cultural response to the recent natural disasters and resulting nuclear crisis in Japan. This channel was created to provide a dedicated global space for cultural response to the earthquake, tsunami and resulting nuclear crisis in Japan. Our hope is that people in Japan might take comfort in knowing the world is with them as they endure unimaginable hardship."

When Sunny Gets Blue: Renée Fleming Joins Jazz Greats

Blue Note Jazz Benefit for Japan takes place on April 18 at the Highline Ballroom and will feature Renée Fleming, Madeleine Peyroux, Joe Lovano, Regina Carter, Karrin Allyson, Don Byron, Paquito D'Rivera, Sonny Fortune, Antonio Hart, Eldar Djangirov, Eddie Gomez, Janis Siegel, & many more! "100% of the ticket proceeds to be donated to the Japan Relief and Recovery Fund spearheaded by Direct Relief." 

Concert starts at 7PM/Doors open at 6PM/Tickets $45.00 in advance/$55.00 day of show. [Source]

Renée Fleming Receives Fulbright Lifetime Achievement Award

"Tony Award winner John Lithgow, opera star Renee Fleming and graphic designer Milton Glaser will each receive the 2011 Fulbright Lifetime Achievement Medal April 13 in New York City. The Fulbright Association will honor the recipients at the New York Public Library Stephen A. Schwarzman Building at 8:30 PM. Emmy Award-winning actress Christine Baranski, journalist Ken Auletta, Lincoln Center Theater artistic director André Bishop, U.S. assistant secretary of state for educational and cultural affairs Ann Stock and Fulbright Association president Patricia A. Krebs will be speakers at the ceremony. The Fulbright Lifetime Achievement Medal honors Fulbright alumni whose distinguished careers and civic and cultural contributions have sought to expand the boundaries of human wisdom, empathy and perception. Recipients of the Medal show exemplary commitments to creative leadership and liberal education. Fleming is a celebrated opera singer and performed at the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize ceremony, during the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, and at the “We Are One” inaugural celebration for President Obama in 2009." [Source]

Renée Fleming Delivers Birthday Gift Concert (Drums Included)

Fleming performing arias and songs with piano (Photo: Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)

In March, Opera Fresh discussed diva Renée Fleming's tightly packed schedule that would include a one-off concert to celebrate the 88th birthday of Henry Segerstrom in

(Photo: Christine Cotter/OCR)

Orange County. The event took place on April 5 and the Orange County Register reviews it here: "Fleming didn't sound quite warmed-up for her opening numbers, 'Adieu, notre petite table' from Massenet's Manon and 'The Jewel Song' from Gounod's Faust, her phrasing choppy and her French virtually indecipherable. No one was hurt, though; she got through them prettily enough. She eschewed simplicity in her renditions of two arias from André Previn's A Streetcar Named Desire and Dave Grusin's arrangements of 'The Water is Wide' and 'Shendandoah,' gussying them up with lustrous colors and emotive cues. The reverberant hall seemed to work against her capturing any real intimacy. Things got better with the 'Vilja-Lied' from Lehar's The Merry Widow and 'The Song of the Moon' from Dvorák's Rusalka (which Fleming

(Photo: Christine Cotter/OCR)

described as 'my signature aria'), both of which featured coherent linear singing and graceful lyrical movement. Better still were the three Italian arias after intermission, including "Vissi d'arte" from Tosca, her voice now in full bloom and supplying exquisite detail without undue clutter. Richard Bado was her steady accompanist. Leonard Bernstein's 'Somewhere' and 'I Feel Pretty' (cutely and girlishly sung) supplied the bridge to Fleming's alternative rock set (yes), a sampling of her Dark Hope CD, performed at the request of the Segerstroms with the New York studio musicians who played on the recording. Various acoustical curtains were deployed to deaden the hall for the amplified music, Fleming singing with microphone. With the aid of what were apparently lyric sheets, she dispatched numbers by Muse, Band of Horses, Death Cab for Cutie, Leonard Cohen ('Hallelujah,' of course) and Peter Gabriel. She didn't embarrass herself (a triumph in itself), but neither did she

(Photo: Christine Cotter/OCR)

really get down. She's not an earthy singer. Fleming presented it all, in spoken remarks, as something of a lark, and the audience accepted it in good cheer. She sang in her speaking range, mostly without vibrato – it was fine, not bad, not great. Fleming had apparently never performed these pieces in concert before. In encore, sans microphone and rejoined by Bado and a few of the New Yorkers, Fleming sang 'Summertime' (opulently) and 'Over the Rainbow' (in an arrangement too fancy for its own good). Then, Bado and she performed the inevitable, 'O Mio Babbino Caro' from Gianni Schicchi," another request of the Segerstroms, its climactic swoon sung directly to their box. It was lovely."

(Photo: Christine Cotter/OCR)

"Midway through the second half, the grand piano was wheeled off to the wings, revealing a display of electric keyboards, drum kit (complete with her name in bold letters on the bass drum head), microphones and monitors." [Source, Source]