Renée Fleming | |
|---|---|
 Fleming in 2010 | |
| Born | (1959-02-14)February 14, 1959 (age 66) Indiana, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Education | |
| Occupation(s) | Singer (lyric soprano), actress, arts advocate |
| Years active | 1980s-present |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 2 |
| Website | reneefleming |
Renée Lynn Fleming (born February 14, 1959) is an Americansoprano and actress, known for performances in opera, concerts, recordings, theater, film, and at major public occasions.[1] A recipient of theNational Medal of Arts, Fleming has been nominated for 18Grammy Awards and has won five times.[2] In December 2023, she was one of five recipients of theKennedy Center Honors.[3] Other notable honors have included the Crystal Award from theWorld Economic Forum inDavos,[4] theChevalier de la Légion d'Honneur from the French government, Germany'sCross of the Order of Merit, Sweden'sPolar Music Prize and honorary membership in England'sRoyal Academy of Music. Unusual among artists whose careers began in opera, Fleming has achieved name recognition beyond the classical music world.[5]
Fleming has a fulllyric soprano voice.[6] She has performedcoloratura,lyric, and lighterspinto soprano operatic roles in Italian, German, French, Czech, and Russian, aside from her native English. A significant portion of her career has been the performance of new music, including world premieres of operas, concert pieces, and songs composed for her byAndré Previn,Caroline Shaw,Kevin Puts,Anders Hillborg,Nico Muhly,Henri Dutilleux,Brad Mehldau, andWayne Shorter.[7] In 2008, Fleming became the first woman in the 125-year history of theMetropolitan Opera (the Met) to solo headline a season opening night gala.[8] Conductor SirGeorg Solti said of Fleming: "In my long life, I have met maybe two sopranos with this quality of singing."[6]
Beyond opera, Fleming has sung and recordedlieder,chansons,jazz,musical theatre, andindie rock, and she has performed with a wide range of artists, includingLuciano Pavarotti,Lou Reed,Wynton Marsalis,Paul Simon,Andrea Bocelli,Sting,John Prine, andDead & Company. A 2018Tony Award nominee, Fleming has acted onBroadway and in theatrical productions in London, Los Angeles and Chicago. Fleming has also recorded songs for the soundtracks of several major films, two of which won theAcademy Award for Best Picture (The Shape of Water andThe Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King). Fleming has made numerous television appearances, and she is the only classical singer to have performed theUS National Anthem at theSuper Bowl. In July, 2025, she made her directing debut with a production of Mozart'sCosi fan tutte at theAspen Music Festival and School.[9]
Fleming is a prominent advocate for awareness of the impact of music and the creative arts on health and neuroscience, winning a Research!America award for Impact on Public Opinion.[10] In May 2023, Fleming was appointed by theWorld Health Organization as a Goodwill Ambassador for Arts and Health.[11] In 2024, she launched the Renée Fleming Neuroarts Investigator Awards in partnership with the NeuroArts Blueprint Initiative atJohns Hopkins University and theAspen Institute.[12] Presented annually, the grants fund interdisciplinary research by early career scientists in collaboration with arts practitioners. In April 2024,Penguin Random House published Fleming's anthologyMusic and Mind: Harnessing the Arts for Health and Wellness.[13] In January 2025, Fleming was appointed as an inaugural member of theWorld Economic Forum Global Arts and Culture Council.[14]
Fleming was born on February 14, 1959, inIndiana, Pennsylvania, the daughter of two music teachers.[15] She has great-grandparents who were born inPrague and later emigrated to the US.[16][17] She grew up inChurchville, New York and attendedChurchville-Chili High School.[15]
She studied withPatricia Misslin at theCrane School of Music at theState University of New York (SUNY) at Potsdam, and graduated with aBachelor of Music Education in 1981.[18][19] While at SUNY Potsdam, Fleming took up singing with ajazz trio at Alger's, an off-campus bar.[20] The jazz saxophonistIllinois Jacquet invited her on tour with hisbig band, but she chose instead to continue with graduate studies with voice teacher John Maloy at theEastman School of Music at theUniversity of Rochester,[21][22] from which she received aMaster of Music in 1983.[23] She portrayed Zerlina in Eastman's 1982 production ofDon Giovanni led by conductorDavid Effron with a cast that also includedGene Scheer as Leporello andMark Thomsen as Don Ottavio.[24]
As a student, Fleming spent several summers at theAspen Music Festival and School (AMFS), where she studied withJan DeGaetani and was directed by Edward Berkeley.[25] She appeared in the role of Anne Sexton in Conrad Susa'sTransformations (1983); gave her first performance as Countess Almaviva in Mozart'sThe Marriage of Figaro (1984), the role in which she later made most of her major opera house debuts; and sang the role of Anne in Stravinsky'sThe Rake's Progress (1987).[26] She also performed scenes fromDer Rosenkavalier, and the Marschallin in that opera became one of her calling-card roles at opera houses around the globe.[25]
She won aFulbright Scholarship[27] in 1985, which enabled her to work in Europe withArleen Augér andElisabeth Schwarzkopf.[28] She also studiedlieder withHartmut Höll through this scholarship in Frankfurt, Germany.[29] Fleming then sang at jazz clubs to pay for further studies at theJuilliard School.[30] While at Juilliard, she sang in roles with theJuilliard Opera Center, appearing as Musetta in Puccini'sLa bohème and the Wife inMenotti'sTamu-Tamu, among others.[31][32] Her voice teacher at Juilliard wasBeverley Peck Johnson.[33] She graduated from Juilliard with an Artist Diploma in 1986,[34][35] and was among the first recipients of theRichard F. Gold Career Grant in 1987.[36]
Fleming began performing professionally in smaller concerts and with small opera companies while still a graduate student atJuilliard. She sang frequently in theMusica Viva concert series sponsored by the New YorkUnitarian Church of All Souls during the 1980s.[37] In 1984 she sang nine songs byHugo Wolf in the world premiere ofEliot Feld'sballetAdieu, which she again performed in 1987 and 1989 at theJoyce Theater.[38] In 1986 she sang her first major operatic role, Konstanze inDie Entführung aus dem Serail, at theState Theatre in Salzburg, Austria. Two years later she portrayed Thalie, Clarine and La Folie inJean-Philippe Rameau'sPlatée withIl Piccolo Teatro dell'Opera at theBrooklyn Academy of Music.[39]
Her major break came in 1988 when she won theMet Auditions at age 29. That same year she sang the Countess inThe Marriage of Figaro in her debut withHouston Grand Opera. She reprised the role the following year in her debut at theSpoleto Festival in Italy.[40] Also in 1989, Fleming made her debut with theNew York City Opera as Mimì inLa bohème under conductorChris Nance and her debut withThe Royal Opera, London, as Dircé in Cherubini'sMédée. She also was awarded aRichard Tucker Career Grant and won theGeorge London Competition.[41][42] In March 1989 she sang the role of Imogene inVincenzo Bellini'sIl pirata with theOpera Orchestra of New York underEve Queler.[43]
In 1990 she was once again honored by theRichard Tucker Music Foundation but this time with the highly covetedRichard Tucker Award.[44] That same year she made her debut withSeattle Opera in her first portrayal of the title role inRusalka, a role that she has since recorded and reprised at many of the world's great opera houses. She also sang for the 50th anniversary of theAmerican Ballet Theatre in their production of Eliot Feld'sLes Noces and returned to the New York City Opera to sing both the Countess inLe nozze di Figaro and Micaëla inBizet'sCarmen. She sang the title role in the US premiere presentation ofDonizetti's 1841 operaMaria Padilla withOpera Omaha.[45] In addition, she sang the title role in Donizetti'sLucrezia Borgia with theOpera Orchestra of New York.[46][47]
Fleming's first television appearance came in January 1991, singing the Cherry Duet fromMascagni'sL'amico Fritz withLuciano Pavarotti onLive from Lincoln Center.[48] Fleming made herMet andSan Francisco Opera debut portraying Countess Almaviva inLe nozze di Figaro in 1991. She was originally not scheduled to make her Met debut until the following season, but stepped in to replaceFelicity Lott who had become ill.[49] She returned to the Met later that year to sing Rosina in the world premiere ofJohn Corigliano'sThe Ghosts of Versailles. Continuing her progress, she made herCarnegie Hall debut performing music byRavel with the New York City Opera Orchestra, sangRusalka with Houston Grand Opera, and made her debut at theTanglewood Music Festival as Ilia in Mozart'sIdomeneo withSeiji Ozawa and theBoston Symphony Orchestra.[50][51]
1992 saw Fleming making her debut withGrand Théâtre de Genève in Switzerland as Fiordiligi in Mozart'sCosì fan tutte,[52] and she sang the role of Anna in Boieldieu'sLa dame blanche at Carnegie Hall with theOpera Orchestra of New York and the role of Fortuna in Mozart'sIl sogno di Scipione atAlice Tully Hall, as part ofLincoln Center'sFestival of Mozart Operas in Concert.[53][54]
Fleming sang the role of Alaide inBellini'sLa straniera in a concert performance by the Opera Orchestra of New York; made her debut at theRossini Opera Festival in Italy in the title role ofRossini'sArmida; and debuted with theLyric Opera of Chicago in the title role of Carlisle Floyd'sSusannah.[55]
She also gave her New York City solo recital debut at Alice Tully Hall to great acclaim,[56] sang her first Pamina in Mozart'sThe Magic Flute at the Met, and performedAlban Berg's "Three Excerpts fromWozzeck and the "Lulu Suite" with the Met Orchestra underJames Levine.[57][58]
The same season saw her singing in the world premiere ofJoan Tower'sFanfare withPinchas Zukerman and theAspen Chamber Symphony[59] and in the world premiere ofJohn Kander'sLetter From Sullivan Ballou at the Richard Tucker Awards ceremony.[60]
In June 1993, Fleming performed recital pieces at the funeral of the American sopranoArleen Auger atFrank E. Campbell Funeral Chapel in New York City.
During the 1993/1994 season, Fleming sang her first Desdemona in Verdi'sOtello and her first Ellen Orford in Britten'sPeter Grimes, both with the Met.[61] During the following summer, she made her debut at theGlyndebourne Festival in England as the Countess inLe nozze di Figaro.[62] In addition, she performed the role of Madame de Tourvel in the world premiere of Conrad Susa'sThe Dangerous Liaisons. The 1994/1995San Francisco Opera's season included her Salome in Massenet'sHérodiade.[63]
In 1995 Fleming portrayed the Marschallin inDer Rosenkavalier withHouston Grand Opera; sang in Salomé in Massenet'sHérodiade with the Opera Orchestra of New York at Carnegie Hall;[64] and sang Rusalka with the San Francisco Opera. Fiordiligi inCosì fan tutte with Solti atRoyal Festival Hall in London followed, as did a lauded recital at theMorgan Library.[65]
A highlight of 1996 was her signing of an exclusive recording contract with theLondon/Decca label, making her the first American singer in 31 years to do so, the last having beenMarilyn Horne.[66]
The title role in Rossini'sArmida at the Pesaro Festival in Italy also came in 1996. Fiordiligi inCosì fan tutte at the Met followed, as did the soprano solo in theVerdi Requiem with Luciano Pavarotti and the Met Orchestra at Carnegie Hall.[67] Her debut in the role of Marguerite in Gounod'sFaust came with Chicago Lyric Opera, and she sang the role of Donna Anna in Mozart'sDon Giovanni with theParis Opera at the reopening of thePalais Garnier with SirGeorg Solti.
Solti chose Fleming to be the first recipient of his "Solti Prize", an award given to an outstanding younger singer, and given by the "Académie du disque lyrique" in a ceremony equivalent to theGrammy Awards.[68] That year, Fleming debuted at theBayreuth Festival in Germany as Eva in Wagner'sMeistersinger.[6] Her other performances included recitals at theEdinburgh International Festival in Scotland and atAlice Tully Hall.[69]
Her firstManon at theOpéra Bastille in France received glowing reviews[citation needed] in 1997. At the Bastille, she also reprised the Marschallin inDer Rosenkavalier as well as singing Marguerite inFaust and Rusalka at the Met.[70]
Two concert performances occurred: first with theNew York Philharmonic, first underZubin Mehta performing a selection of opera arias; the second singing Mozart'sExsultate, jubilate and three songs ofRichard Strauss withKurt Masur. She appeared at theRavinia Festival with theChicago Symphony Orchestra and performedSamuel Barber'sKnoxville: Summer of 1915 with theOrchestra of St. Luke's underAndré Previn. She gave recitals as well at notable venues such as theSalzburg Festival in Austria.[71]
Two title roles were offered to Fleming in 1998: Richard Strauss'Arabella with Houston Grand Opera[72] andCarlisle Floyd'sSusannah. Also, there was Countess Almaviva in a landmark production ofLe nozze di Figaro at the Met which also starredCecilia Bartoli,Susanne Mentzer,Dwayne Croft,Danielle de Niese, andBryn Terfel and which was broadcast onPBS'Great Performances. She made her Carnegie Hall recital debut and sang Richard Strauss'sFour Last Songs withClaudio Abbado and theGustav Mahler Youth Orchestra at the Salzburg Festival.[73] and later with theBerlin Philharmonic.
She originated the roles ofBlanche DuBois in the world première ofAndré Previn'sA Streetcar Named Desire with theSan Francisco Opera in September 1998.[74]
1999 brought appearances at theBavarian State Opera in Germany as the Marschallin inDer Rosenkavalier and she returned to Carnegie Hall to great success with a concert of Germanlieder. She also performed in recital withAndré Previn and made her debut at the Schleswig-Holstein Festival in Germany.[75] Fleming's CD,The Beautiful Voice, won her aGrammy Award that year.
Performances of two new title roles were given: Handel'sAlcina withLes Arts Florissants and conductorWilliam Christie and with theLyric Opera of Chicago[76] and Charpentier'sLouise withSan Francisco Opera.[77] Fleming closed out the year by performing for PresidentBill Clinton at theWhite House for a Christmas celebration.[78]
In 2000, Fleming appeared at the Met, San Francisco Opera and at Covent Garden in England as the Marschallin inDer Rosenkavalier and sang the title role in Donizetti'sLucrezia Borgia with the Opera Orchestra of New York.[79]
She appeared as Donna Anna in Mozart'sDon Giovanni at theSalzburg Festival and at the Met. She performed with theOrchestra of St. Luke's, underMark Elder as part of the PBS seriesLive From Lincoln Center and with theBoston Symphony Orchestra in Haydn'sCreation under James Levine.[80] In June of that year she sang at the installation of New York ArchbishopEdward Egan.[81]
As Desdemona inOtello she opened the 2001/02 Lyric Opera of Chicago season, Manon with the Paris Opera, the Marschallin with both the San Francisco Opera and the Met, and Arabella at both the Bavarian State Opera in Germany and the Met. She also sang in Verdi'sRequiem twice, once with the London Symphony Orchestra and once with the New York Philharmonic. Fleming also sang atWorld Trade Center site shortly after theSeptember 11 attacks.[30]
Taking a rather different approach, in 2002 Fleming provided the vocals forHoward Shore's soundtrack forThe Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King soundtrack. Her singing can be found in the songs "The End of All Things", "Twilight and Shadow" and "The Return of the King" (Original Soundtrack) and "The Grace Of Undómiel", "Mount Doom", "The Eagles" and "The Fellowship Reunited" (The Complete Recordings). She also sang in several concerts in the United Kingdom with Bryn Terfel and gave the most extensive recital tour of her career, singing in dozens of recitals with pianistJean-Yves Thibaudet throughout the United States, Europe, Australia, and Asia. In addition, she portrayed the role of Rusalka withOpéra Bastille and Imogene in Bellini'sIl pirata withThéâtre du Châtelet in Paris.
Her career at the Met continued in 2003 with Imogene and Violetta inLa traviata. She sang the title role in Massenet'sThaïs with the Lyric Opera of Chicago, in addition to Rusalka at Covent Garden and another Violetta with Houston Grand Opera. A reprise of Blanche in Previn'sA Streetcar Named Desire took place at theBarbican Centre in London.
Met performances continued in 2004, with Fleming portrayingRodelinda inHandel's opera and reprises of Rusalka and Violetta at the Met. She also sang her first Countess inCapriccio at thePalais Garnier and performed in concerts with theChicago Symphony Orchestra, thePhiladelphia Orchestra, theBoston Symphony Orchestra, theLos Angeles Philharmonic, and theToronto Symphony Orchestra among others. Recitals were given in Spain, Switzerland, Germany, Canada, and the United States and performed in several concerts withElton John atRadio City Music Hall. Her first book,The Inner Voice: The Making of a Singer, was published in 2004 by the Penguin Group.[82]
Massenet'sManon at the Met, Desdemona in Verdi'sOtello at Covent Garden, and Thaïs in Vienna were part of her 2005 repertoire, in addition to concerts with theBerlin Philharmonic (Mahler'sSymphony No. 4 and Alban Berg'sSeven Early Songs, conducted by Claudio Abbado, and released as a live recording by Deutsche Grammophon), theLondon Symphony Orchestra, theBaltimore Symphony Orchestra, theNew Jersey Symphony, theRochester Philharmonic, and theMormon Tabernacle Choir among several other ensembles.
In 2006, Fleming performed a solo concert at the Lyric Opera of Chicago with SirAndrew Davis, sang Violetta inLa traviata withLos Angeles Opera;[83] returned to the Met to sing both Manon and Rodelinda; and took up Violetta in the Met's touring production to Japan. Several recitals and concerts throughout the United States, Italy, Russia, Sweden and Austria took place, the latter being a celebration of Mozart's 250th Birthday with theVienna Philharmonic which was broadcast live internationally. She also recorded song cycles with pianistBrad Mehldau, which were released asLove Sublime.[84][85]
Violetta reappeared the following year in Chicago; Tatyana inEugene Onegin and Violetta were given at the Met; her Arabella was seen at theZurich Opera, as was Thaïs at theThéâtre du Châtelet,The Royal Opera, London, in concert at theVienna Konzerthaus,[86] and theLiceu, Barcelona. Performances with over a dozen orchestras, including theMonte-Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra, theNational Symphony Orchestra, theVancouver Symphony, theBoston Symphony, theSan Francisco Symphony, theChina Philharmonic Orchestra, theLos Angeles Philharmonic, and theBaton Rouge Symphony Orchestra where she appeared as aPennington Great Performers series artist. Additionally, Fleming appeared at numerous music festivals, including the Salzburg Festival and the Lincoln Center Festival and she gave recitals throughout Southeast Asia, Germany, and Switzerland.
On September 22, 2008, Fleming became the first woman in the 125-year history of the Met to solo headline opening night. Fleming performed three favorite roles: Violetta in act 2 of Verdi'sLa traviata; Manon in act 3 of Massenet'sManon; and the Countess in the final scene of Strauss'sCapriccio. The performance was also transmitted live in HD to screens inTimes Square.[8][87] The 2008/09 season resulted in Fleming singing Desdemona and Thais at the Met, the Countess inCapriccio at theVienna State Opera, Tatyana at theTanglewood Music Festival, andLucrezia Borgia[88] at theWashington National Opera.
In 2009, Fleming premiered the complete version ofLe temps l'horloge byHenri Dutilleux. She sang Violetta at Covent Garden and Rusalka at the Met, the Marschallin at theBaden-Baden Festival, theThéâtre des Champs-Élysées and the Met. She sang a variety of short pieces at Napa Valley'sFestival del Sole in California.
Fleming sang in the opening concert of the 2009–10 season of the New York Philharmonic. The concert, telecast viaLive from Lincoln Center, was the first performance of conductor Alan Gilbert as music director of the New York Philharmonic. Fleming performedOlivier Messiaen's song cyclePoèmes pour mi.[89]
During the 2009–10 Met season, Fleming sang inMary Zimmerman's new production of Rossini'sArmida, in the first-ever production of the opera by the company. She returned to that role during the Met's 2010–2011 season, along with the Countess inCapriccio.
On November 14, 2009, Fleming performed at a concert in Prague organized byVáclav Havel to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the CzechVelvet Revolution, which also featuredLou Reed,Joan Baez and others.[90] Fleming sang the aria "Song to the Moon" fromRusalka in Czech, and also sang "Perfect Day" in a duet with Reed.
In a 2010Wall Street Journal article, Fleming talked about her view of the battle between opera traditionalists and those who want to reinterpret the standards, siding – with some reservations – with the latter: "I'm not a reactionary. I've loved some of [these productions] when they've been well thought out. I have no problem with edgy, as long as it's not vulgar or disrespectful of the piece." She said her "classic" image meant that she was unlikely to be asked to perform in such productions. In the same interview, Fleming explained her increasing preference for performing in concerts, rather than opera productions, and said, having learned more than 50 operas, that she is unlikely to learn many more.[91]
At theLast Night of the Proms in London in 2010, Fleming performed songs byRichard Strauss,Dvořák andSmetana. In December, the Board of Directors of Lyric Opera of Chicago announced that Fleming was named Creative Consultant, a first in the company's history.[92]
On July 2, 2011, Fleming sang for theWedding of Albert II, Prince of Monaco, and Charlene Wittstock in Monte Carlo.[93] On October 21, 2011, Fleming headlined a gala concert in the opening festivities of theRoyal Opera House Muscat in Oman.[94] In November 2011, Fleming appeared in the title role of Handel'sRodelinda at theMet, in a revival of a production created for her in 2004, the first time the company had ever presented the work.[95]
Fleming performed with the Philadelphia Orchestra on January 29, 2011, for the Academy of Music 154th Anniversary Concert.Paul Simon also performed at the concert, and together with Fleming sang "The Sound of Silence".[96] On November 11, 2011, Fleming performedA. R. Gurney'sLove Letters withAlec Baldwin at Carnegie Hall in New York City.[97] In her role as creative consultant to the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Fleming collaborated with Chicago's Second City comedy troupe to develop Second City's Guide to the Opera, which was staged at the Lyric Opera on January 5, 2013. Fleming co-hosted and co-starred with actorPatrick Stewart for the sold-out performance.[98]
On April 26, 2013, Fleming sang the world premiere ofThe Strand Settings at Carnegie Hall with theNew York Philharmonic. Written for Fleming by Swedish composerAnders Hillborg and presented as part of Fleming's Perspectives residency at Carnegie Hall, the work is a setting of poems by the Canadian poetMark Strand. The performance received a five-minute ovation.[99] In the Spring of 2014, Fleming performed the role of Blanche Dubois in André Previn's operatic adaptation ofA Streetcar Named Desire at Carnegie Hall in New York and later in Chicago and Los Angeles. TheLos Angeles Times theater criticCharles McNulty described Fleming as "that rare opera star whose expressive vocal potential is nearly matched by a gestural eloquence", and wrote:
Renée Fleming's magnificent Blanche dominates the stage in every scene that she's in. The tragedy belongs to her character – and it's personal, achingly so. Fleming is quite simply the best Blanche I've seen sinceElizabeth Marvel brutally essayed the role inIvo van Hove's brilliant deconstruction atNew York Theatre Workshop in 1999.[100]
In January 2015, Fleming co-starred with Kelli O'Hara in a new production of the operettaThe Merry Widow at the Met in New York. The production was directed bySusan Stroman, the winner of five Tony Awards.[101] In April 2015, Fleming made her Broadway debut in a new comedy by Joe DiPietro,Living on Love, directed by Kathleen Marshall at the Longacre Theatre. Fleming played the role of an opera diva in the production, which also featuredDouglas Sills,Anna Chlumsky andJerry O'Connell.[102]
On May 5, 2016, Fleming sang at Carnegie Hall's 125th Anniversary Gala.Itzhak Perlman,James Taylor,Yo-Yo Ma and others also performed.Richard Gere served as the host.[103] On December 9, 2016, Fleming sang jazz with bassistChristian McBride at Wigmore Hall in London.[104]
On May 13, 2017, Fleming performed the role of the Marschallin inDer Rosenkavalier for the last time at the Met.[105] In an interview, Fleming stated that she will focus in the future on new roles.[106]
Fleming performed the role of Nettie Fowler in a 2018Broadway revival ofCarousel at theImperial Theatre. Produced byScott Rudin and directed byJack O'Brien, the show garnered 11 Tony Award nominations, including a Tony nomination for Fleming herself.[107]
On September 1, 2018, Fleming sang "Danny Boy" at the funeral service for SenatorJohn McCain held at theWashington National Cathedral.[108] On October 2, 2018, Fleming sang at the Carnegie Hall opening night gala with Audra McDonald and the San Francisco Symphony, conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas.[109]
During April and May 2019, Fleming appeared opposite actorBen Whishaw inNorma Jeane Baker of Troy, the inaugural production in the Kenneth C. Griffin Theater atThe Shed in Manhattan. In his review, New York Times theater criticBen Brantley wrote:
[Fleming's] creamy, disembodied voice floats through the air like thought made sound...Mr. Whishaw and Ms. Fleming are, against the odds, marvelous. They somehow lend an emotional spontaneity to ritualistic words and gestures, while conjuring an affecting relationship.[110]
On July 24, 2019, Fleming performed the world premiere ofPenelope, a collaboration betweenTom Stoppard andAndré Previn, with theEmerson String Quartet and pianistSimone Dinnerstein. Fleming was joined by actressUma Thurman, who provided narration for the spoken text.[111] In the summer of 2019, Fleming co-starred withDove Cameron andAlex Jennings in the London premiere ofThe Light in the Piazza, which received six Tony awards when it opened on Broadway in 2005. In his review of the musical forThe Daily Telegraph,Rupert Christiansen wrote "[The] first London staging is lucky to have netted Renée Fleming for the central role of Margaret ... Fleming makes the transition to Broadway style effortlessly, using her gorgeously rich middle register ... and handling the spoken dialogue with wit and assurance."[112] Fleming performed the same role when the production was staged in Los Angeles and Chicago later in 2019.
In 2019, Fleming also premiered the Pulitzer Prize-winning composerKevin Puts'The Brightness of Light, a setting of letters betweenGeorgia O'Keeffe andAlfred Stieglitz. Fleming performed the work in concert at Tanglewood, Santa Fe, Aspen and the Kennedy Center.
On September 25, 2020, Fleming appeared in a live concert withVanessa Williams, titled "A Time to Sing", for a small, socially-distanced audience in the Kennedy Center Opera House. The performance, the first on a stage inside the Kennedy Center since the March 13 shutdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, was also live-streamed.[113]
On January 20, 2021, Fleming sang at a private mass attended by President-electJoe Biden and Vice President-electKamala Harris prior to their swearing-in as president and vice president of the US. Attendees also included the Democratic and Republican leaders of the Senate and House of Representatives.[114]
On November 22, 2022, she returned to the stage to sing the role of Clarissa Vaughan in the world premiere ofKevin Puts' operaThe Hours at the Met.[115] The performance of December 10 was video-cast as part of theMet Live in HD series.[116]She performed with Dead and Company at the Las Vegas Sphere concert during their Space segment on 4/18/25
Fleming has been married twice. Fleming married actor Rick Ross in 1989, and the couple had two daughters. The couple divorced in 2000.[6][117] On September 3, 2011, Fleming married tax lawyer Tim Jessell, whom she met on a blind date set up by authorAnn Patchett.[118]
Fleming appeared as a special guest vocalist onJoe Jackson's 1994 albumNight Music on the song "Lullaby". Fleming has released a number of recordings on theDecca label. In 2000 she was a guest artist alongside the cellistJulian Lloyd Webber and the violinistGil Shaham on the albumTwo Worlds byDave Grusin andLee Ritenour. In 2005, Fleming recorded a jazz album with pianistFred Hersch and guitaristBill Frisell entitledHaunted Heart. On June 8, 2010, Decca/Mercury released Fleming's albumDark Hope, a collection of indie rock covers. The album was the idea of rock managersPeter Mensch andCliff Burnstein; after listening to Fleming's performance of "In the Pines" on Elvis Costello's TV showSpectacle, they approached Fleming and producer David Kahne. Fleming'sDark Hope album features covers of songs byLeonard Cohen,Band of Horses,Jefferson Airplane and others.[119]
In 2008, Fleming sangBlossom Dearie's "Touch the Hand of Love" accompanied by Chris Thile, Edgar Meyers, and Yo-Yo Ma on Ma'sSongs of Joy and Peace album.[120] In November 2010, the Charlie Haden Quartet West released the jazz CDSophisticated Ladies in which Fleming was a guest vocalist on the song "A Love Like This" by Ned Washington and Victor Young. In 2014, Decca released Fleming's holiday albumChristmas in New York, with intimately-arranged jazz treatments of holiday standards. Guests on the album include Chris Botti, Kurt Elling, Wynton Marsalis, Brad Mehldau, Kelli O'Hara, Gregory Porter and Rufus Wainwright. The album was the inspiration for a PBS special featuring Fleming with the same title.
In 2015, Fleming sang "New York Tendaberry" accompanied by Chris Thile, Edgar Meyers and Yo-Yo Ma on the Billy Childs albumMap to the Treasure: Reimagining Laura Nyro, the song winning the Grammy for Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals. In 2017, Decca released Fleming's albumDistant Light, which features four songs by the Icelandic composerBjörk, Samuel Barber'sKnoxville: Summer of 1915 and theStrand Settings, a four-song cycle composite by Anders Hillborg. Fleming recorded an album of musical theater songs,Reneé Fleming: Broadway, which was released by Decca in 2018. Guest artists included Christian McBride, Leslie Odom Jr., and Dan Tepfer.[121]
Fleming appeared on the children's showSesame Street singing a lively rendition of "Caro nome" fromRigoletto, replacing the traditional Italian text with lyrics intended to aid children learning to count. She performed several times onGarrison Keillor'spublic radio programA Prairie Home Companion.[122]
Fleming appears on the soundtrack of the 2003 filmThe Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King in which she sings in thefictional languageSindarin. Fleming also sang on the soundtrack of the 2003 Disney release,Piglet's Big Movie, performing the duet "Comforting to Know" withCarly Simon. In 2004, Fleming performed in theKennedy Center Honors gala, telecast on CBS, in tribute to honoreeWarren Beatty. She previously performed in Kennedy Center Honors broadcasts forAndré Previn (1998) andVan Cliburn (2001). OnNovember 18, 2005, Fleming appeared as guest on theBBC Radio 4 radio programmeDesert Island Discs; her favourite was Joni Mitchell's 1971 song "River".[123] Fleming performed "I'll Be Home for Christmas" on ABC'sThe View on December 18, 2008.
Fleming performed on HBO'sWe Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial on January 18, 2009, a concert which also included performances byBruce Springsteen,Mary J. Blige,Stevie Wonder,Garth Brooks,U2 and others. Fleming sang the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic "You'll Never Walk Alone" with the combined choirs of theUnited States Naval Academy. Fleming appeared on the December 18, 2009, broadcast of theMartha Stewart Show and baked cookies with Stewart andSnoop Dogg.[124]
Fleming was featured on the first episode of the second season ofHBO Masterclass. She led a master class in which she taught and mentored four aspiring college-aged singers.
OnGood Morning America on June 8, 2010, Fleming performed a cover ofMuse's "Endlessly" from their albumAbsolution.
Fleming appears on the soundtrack of the 2011 Steven Spielberg animated filmThe Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn as the singing voice of opera diva Bianca Castafiore, singing Juliette's waltz from Gounod'sRomeo et Juliette.[125] She recorded Alexandre Desplat's theme song "Still Dream" for the 2012 DreamWorks animated feature,Rise of the Guardians.[126]
On March 20, 2011, Fleming appeared in Grand Finale concert of theYouTube Symphony Orchestra with the Sydney Children's Choir, performingMozart's "Caro bell'idol mio" K562, under the baton ofMichael Tilson Thomas.[127] In less than one week, the concert had 33 million online views.[128]
On April 6, 2012, Fleming performed Broadway duets with Josh Groban on PBS'sLive at Lincoln Center.[129]
On June 4, 2012, Fleming performed at the Queen Elizabeth IIDiamond Jubilee Concert from the balcony ofBuckingham Palace, a concert which was internationally broadcast and included performances byElton John,Paul McCartney,Kylie Minogue,Ed Sheeran and others.
In November 2013, Fleming programmed and hosted a three-day festival held at theJohn F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington DC titled "American Voices", which explored the artistry and pedagogy of singing across musical genres.[130]Sara Bareilles,Kim Burrell,Ben Folds,Sutton Foster,Alison Krauss and others conducted master classes and performed in the centerpieceAmerican Voices concert, in which Fleming also performed.[131] A 90-minute documentary on the festival and the concert was broadcast on PBS Great Performances.[132]
On September 26, 2013, Fleming sang theLate Show Top Ten List ("Top 10 Opera Lyrics") on CBS'sLate Show with David Letterman.[133]
On February 2, 2014, Fleming was the first opera singer to perform "The Star-Spangled Banner" as part of theSuper Bowl XLVIII pre-game ceremonies, the broadcast earning theFox Network the highest ratings of any television program in the network's history. It was also the largest audience in the history of American television,[134] until it was eclipsed by NBC's airing ofSuper Bowl XLIX the following year. The gown which Fleming wore while performing has been added to the permanent collection of the Smithsonian Institute's National Museum of American History.[135]
On November 9, 2014, with German ChancellorAngela Merkel andMikhail Gorbachev in attendance, Fleming sang in a televised concert at theBrandenburg Gate to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the fall of theBerlin Wall.[136]
On May 29, 2016, Fleming sang "How Can I Keep from Singing?" to honor fallen service men and women in theNational Memorial Day Concert held on West Lawn of the Capitol in Washington, D.C. The concert was broadcast on PBS.[137]
In 2017, Fleming, in her capacity as creative consultant for the Lyric Opera of Chicago, conceived and served as artistic director of Chicago Voices, a festival and concert celebrating Chicago's vocal music legacy and featuringKurt Elling,Lupe Fiasco,Jessie Mueller,John Prine,Michelle Williams,Terrence Howard and others.[138] Fleming also hosted and performed in the concert, which has been broadcast nationwide on PBS'sGreat Performances and won three Midwest/Chicago Emmy awards.[139]
In the 2017 filmThree Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, Fleming's Decca recording of "The Last Rose of Summer" is heard in the opening scene and in the middle of the movie, which was nominated for Best Picture and Best Original Score.
In April 2018, Fleming was interviewed byDavid Rubenstein onThe David Rubenstein Show: Peer-to-Peer Conversations, which was broadcast onBloomberg Television.[140]
Fleming sings "You'll Never Know" on the soundtrack of the filmThe Shape of Water, which won fourAcademy Awards, including Best Picture, and Best Original Score for composerAlexandre Desplat.[141]
On July 4, 2018, Fleming sang in the PBS telecastA Capitol Fourth from the West Lawn of the US Capitol, performing "You'll Never Walk Alone" and, during the fireworks display, "America the Beautiful".[142]
On September 1, 2018, Fleming sang "Danny Boy" at the funeral service for SenatorJohn McCain held at theWashington National Cathedral.[108]
Fleming provided the singing voice of Roxann Coss, the American opera diva played byJulianne Moore, in the 2018 filmBel Canto, an adaptation ofAnn Patchett's best-selling novel.
At the 2018Kennedy Center Honors awards ceremony broadcast on CBS, Fleming sang a jazz aria composed by honoreeWayne Shorter as a tribute to Shorter.[143]
Fleming appeared as a guest on the National Public Radio quiz showWait Wait... Don't Tell Me! broadcast on October 19, 2019.[144]
On June 14, 2020, Fleming premiered a new work by composerJohn Corigliano, "And the People Stayed Home", a setting of Kitty O'Meara's poem, which was written in the first weeks of the pandemic and became a viral success on social media. The performance was part of a streamed concert,We Are Here: A Celebration of Resilience, Resistance, and Hope, which also featured performances byWhoopi Goldberg,Lang Lang, andBilly Joel.[145]
On August 1, 2020, Fleming performed a live recital for the Metropolitan OperaMet Stars Live in Concert series, live-streamed fromDumbarton Oaks Music Room in Washington, DC. The performance was later telecast on PBS Great Performances.[146]
Fleming was featured in the PBSGreat Performances New Year's Eve telecast on December 31, 2020, in a concert taped atMount Vernon that also includedJoshua Bell,Denyce Graves,Jean-Yves Thibaudet,Yo-Yo Ma,Anna Deavere Smith,Audra McDonald,Brian Stokes Mitchell, andPatti LaBelle.[147]
Fleming has been an advocate for the study of the relationship between music and health, as well as the utility of music in neuroscience research.
In 2016, Fleming was appointed Artistic Advisor for theJohn F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. In this capacity, she spearheaded Sound Health, a collaboration between the Kennedy Center and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Sound Health has brought together leading neuroscientists, music therapists and arts practitioners to better understand the impact of arts on the mind and body. In September 2019, the NIH announced a commitment of $20 million to support research projects to explore the potential of music for treating a wide range of conditions resulting from neurological and other disorders.[148] In February 2025, she and those in multiple other positions at the Kennedy Center resigned from their positions after several members of the Board were removed and the sitting chair was removed and replaced byDonald Trump.[149]
In 2017, Fleming andFrancis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health, had published a joint article in theJournal of the American Medical Association on music and health.[150]
While touring for performances, Fleming has given presentations around the world called "Music and the Mind", exploring the power of music as it relates to health and the brain.[151] Fleming's presentations on this subject have been made at hospitals, arts organizations and research universities. They have included the Compton Lecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology,[152] the Pritzker Lecture for the Chicago Public Library[153] and the J. Edward Rall Cultural Lecture at the National Institutes of Health.[154]
Fleming has been an Artist Spokesperson for the American Music Therapy Association.[155]
In 2020, Research!America awarded Fleming the Isadore Rosenfeld Award for Impact on Public Opinion for her commitment to research advocacy at the intersection of music, the brain, and wellness.[10]
In May 2020, after the COVID-19 pandemic had halted concert touring, Fleming launched Music and Mind LIVE, a weekly web series, streamed via Fleming's Facebook page and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts YouTube Channel.[156] Episodes featured different guest experts each week from the worlds of medicine, music therapy, research, advocacy, and performing arts, with viewer Q&A. The first guest was former U.S. Surgeon General Dr.Vivek Murthy, and later guests included author and neuroscientists Dr.Daniel Levitin, Director of the U.S. National Institutes of Health Dr.Francis Collins,Deepak Chopra, M.D., and Grateful Dead drummerMickey Hart. 19 episodes were streamed with a total of more than 665,000 views from 70 countries.
On April 20, 2021, theFoundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) announced a grant from the Renée Fleming Foundation to convene experts from the fields of neuroscience, music therapy and medicine, behavioral intervention development, clinical trial methodology, and patient advocacy. The goal of these conventions was to explore enhanced data collection for improved clinical trial design and, ultimately, to create a research toolkit to help develop music-based therapies for brain disorders of aging.[157]
On May 6, 2021, Fleming spoke in the Fifth International Vatican Conference (conducted online during the COVID-19 pandemic) on a panel exploring the therapeutic use of music for patients with heart failure and cardiovascular disease. The 3-day conference also featured Dr.Anthony Fauci, Dr.Sanjay Gupta,Jane Goodall, PhD, and US Surgeon GeneralVivek Murthy, MD.[158]
On July 13, 2004, Fleming joined Elton John on stage at Radio City Music Hall to performYour Song, in the finale of his benefit concert for Juilliard and the Royal Academy of Music.[159]
Fleming has supported and served on the board of directors ofSing For Hope since the organization's inception in 2006.[160] Sing For Hope is a nonprofit that brings music programs and performances to under-resourced schools, healthcare facilities, refugee camps, transit hubs, and public spaces.
On April 11, 2013, Fleming hosted and performed at the 20th anniversary gala of Classical Action, a program of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS that raises funds for AIDS and family-service organizations nationwide.[161]
On April 17, 2014, Fleming sang for the 25th anniversary concert of the Rainforest Foundation Fund at Carnegie Hall, performing solo and "Là ci darem la mano" in a duet withSting. The program also includedPaul Simon,Stephen Stills,Patti Scialfa andJames Taylor.[162]
In 2015, Fleming and Andrea Bocelli sang together for the first time ever at "Remembering Pavarotti", a benefit concert for pancreatic cancer research at the Los Angeles Music Center'sDorothy Chandler Pavilion on September 25.[163]
Fleming has served on the board of trustees of Carnegie Hall, and as the artistic director of SongStudio, Carnegie's intensive program for emerging vocalists and pianists dedicated to the art of the song recital.[164][165]
Fleming has been a member of the Artistic Advisory Board of the Polyphony Foundation, which brings Israeli youth together through the study and performance of music.[166] Polyphony, through its executive director Naheel Abboud-Askar, has created a conservatory in Nazareth where Arab and Jewish students train together, and it has created music appreciation programs for Israeli kindergartens and elementary schools.[167]
Fleming's signature roles include Countess Almaviva inMozart'sLe nozze di Figaro, Desdemona inVerdi'sOtello, Violetta in Verdi'sLa traviata, the title role inDvořák'sRusalka, the title roles inMassenet'sManon andThaïs, Tatyana inTchaikovsky'sEugene Onegin, the title role inRichard Strauss'sArabella, the Marschallin in Strauss'sDer Rosenkavalier, the Countess in Strauss'sCapriccio, and Blanche DuBois inAndré Previn'sA Streetcar Named Desire.
| Year (debut) | Role | Composer | Opera | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Laurie Moss | Aaron Copland | The Tender Land | Crane School of Music – SUNY Potsdam |
| 1979 | Alison | Gustav Holst | The Wandering Scholar | Crane School of Music – SUNY Potsdam |
| 1980 | Elsie Maynard | Gilbert and Sullivan | The Yeomen of the Guard | Crane School of Music – SUNY Potsdam |
| 1981 | Zerlina | Mozart | Don Giovanni | Eastman School of Music |
| 1983 | Anne Sexton | Conrad Susa | Transformations | Aspen Music Festival and School |
| Musetta | Puccini | La bohème | Juilliard Opera Center | |
| 1984 | Countess Almaviva | Mozart | The Marriage of Figaro | Aspen Music Festival and School |
| 1986 | Konstanze | Mozart | Die Entführung aus dem Serail | Salzburger Landestheater |
| Frasquita | Bizet | Carmen | Virginia Opera | |
| Belle Fezziwig & Laundress, Martha Cratchit, Rosie | Thea Musgrave | A Christmas Carol | Virginia Opera | |
| 1987 | the Wife | Menotti | Tamu-Tamu | Juilliard Opera Center |
| Anne | Stravinsky | The Rake's Progress | Aspen Music Festival and School | |
| 1988 | Thalie, Clarine, La Folie | Jean-Philippe Rameau | Platée | Il Piccolo Teatro dell'Opera |
| Pamina | Mozart | The Magic Flute | Virginia Opera | |
| 1989 | Mimì | Puccini | La bohème | New York City Opera |
| Dircé | Cherubini | Médée | Royal Opera House, Covent Garden | |
| Imogene | Bellini | Il pirata | Opera Orchestra of New York | |
| 1990 | Rusalka | Dvořák | Rusalka | Seattle Opera |
| Micaëla | Bizet | Carmen | New York City Opera | |
| Lucrezia Borgia | Donizetti | Lucrezia Borgia | Opera Orchestra of New York | |
| Maria Padilla | Donizetti | Maria Padilla | Opera Omaha | |
| 1991 | Rosina | Corigliano | The Ghosts of Versailles | Metropolitan Opera |
| Ilia | Mozart | Idomeneo | Tanglewood Music Festival | |
| Amina | Bellini | La sonnambula | Carnegie Hall | |
| Thaïs | Massenet | Thaïs | Washington Concert Opera | |
| Sandrina | Mozart | La finta giardiniera | Paris,Salle Pleyel | |
| 1992 | La Contessa di Folleville | Rossini | Il viaggio a Reims | Royal Opera House, Covent Garden |
| Fiordiligi | Mozart | Così fan tutte | Grand Théâtre de Genève | |
| Anna | Boieldieu | La dame blanche | Carnegie Hall | |
| Fortuna | Mozart | Il sogno di Scipione | Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center | |
| Tatyana | Tchaikovsky | Eugene Onegin | Dallas Opera | |
| 1993 | Armida | Rossini | Armida | Pesaro, Rossini Festival |
| Donna Elvira | Mozart | Don Giovanni | Teatro alla Scala | |
| Alaide | Bellini | La straniera | Carnegie Hall | |
| Susannah | Floyd | Susannah | Lyric Opera of Chicago | |
| Lulu | Alban Berg | Symphonic Pieces fromLulu | Metropolitan Concert/Gala at Ann Arbor, Michigan | |
| Jenůfa | Leoš Janáček | Jenůfa | Dallas Opera | |
| 1994 | Desdemona | Verdi | Otello | Metropolitan Opera |
| Ellen Orford | Britten | Peter Grimes | Metropolitan Opera | |
| Madame de Tourvel | Conrad Susa | The Dangerous Liaisons | San Francisco Opera | |
| Salome | Massenet | Hérodiade | San Francisco Opera | |
| Rosmonda Clifford | Donizetti | Rosmonda d'Inghilterra | London | |
| 1995 | Marschallin | R. Strauss | Der Rosenkavalier | Houston Grand Opera |
| Amelia | Verdi | Simon Boccanegra | Royal Opera at Covent Garden | |
| 1996 | Marguerite | Gounod | Faust | Lyric Opera of Chicago |
| Donna Anna | Mozart | Don Giovanni | Opéra national de Paris | |
| Eva | Wagner | Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg | Bayreuth Festival | |
| 1997 | Manon | Massenet | Manon | Opéra Bastille |
| 1998 | Arabella | R. Strauss | Arabella | Houston Grand Opera |
| Blanche DuBois | André Previn | A Streetcar Named Desire | San Francisco Opera | |
| Gabriel / Eva | Joseph Haydn | Die Schöpfung | Tanglewood Music Festival | |
| 1999 | Alcina | Handel | Alcina | Opéra national de Paris |
| Louise | Charpentier | Louise | San Francisco Opera | |
| 2003 | Violetta | Verdi | La traviata | Houston Grand Opera |
| 2004 | Rodelinda | Handel | Rodelinda | Metropolitan Opera |
| Countess | R. Strauss | Capriccio | Palais Garnier | |
| 2005 | Daphne | R. Strauss | Daphne | University of Michigan |
| 2010 | Hanna Glawari | Lehár | The Merry Widow | Semperoper Dresden |
| 2012 | Ariadne | R. Strauss | Ariadne auf Naxos | Baden-Baden |
| 2018 | Nettie Fowler | Rodgers and Hammerstein | Carousel | Imperial Theatre, Broadway (Tony nomination) |
| 2019 | Margaret Johnson | Adam Guettel | The Light in the Piazza | London, Los Angeles, Chicago, Sydney |
| 2022 | Clarissa Vaughan | Kevin Puts | The Hours | Metropolitan Opera |
| 2023 | Pat Nixon | John Adams | Nixon in China | Opéra National de Paris |
