|
Renee Fleming was born Valentine's Day 1959 in Indiana, Pa., but she spent most of her young life in Rochester, N.Y. |
Both of her parents were high school voice teachers so a musical education was simply a fact of life. Fleming recalls her mother's insistence that she learn to sing in any number of styles for all manner of occasions.
Fleming attended college at the State University of New York, Potsdam and began a course of study in vocal music. During her years at university, Fleming joined up with a jazz trio and the group began playing regularly at local off-campus bars. She recalls enjoying the music and the recognition she got from the crowd, not the least of which came from the legendary saxophonist and bandleader Illinois Jacquet.
Upon hearing the young soprano sing, Jacquet immediately asked her to go on the road with him. At the time though, Fleming felt more suited to the clear path available in the world of academia than the uncertainty of life on the road. She decided to finish her degree at Potsdam and went on to graduate degrees from the Eastman School and Juilliard.
Fleming made her operatic debut in 1988 with the Houston Grand Opera performing the role of The Countess in Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro. She quickly became associated with that role and made debuts with it at the Metropolitan Opera in 1991, the Vienna State Opera in 1993 and at Glyndebourne in 1994. She's since become one of the most in-demand sopranos in the world, singing roles as diverse as Desdemona in Verdi's Ottello to Blanche DuBois in Andre Previn's adaptation of A Street Car Named Desire.
Fleming's latest release brings her full circle to the music for which she first received recognition. Haunted Heart features Fleming, backed by jazz stalwarts Fred Hersch and Bill Frisell, singing selections from the American popular songbook.
Check out this week's Piano Jazz Shorts: the Piano Jazz podcast.
Subscribe!
Set List for Renee Fleming on Piano Jazz:Lover Man (Davis, Ramirez, Sherman)
My Cherie Amour (Wonder)
Blame It On My Youth (Heyman, Levant)
This Can't Be Love (Rodgers, Hart)
My One and Only Love (Mellin, Wood)
You've Changed (Carey, Fischer)
The Way You Look Tonight (Kern, Fields)
Fleming attended college at the State University of New York, Potsdam and began a course of study in vocal music. During her years at university, Fleming joined up with a jazz trio and the group began playing regularly at local off-campus bars. She recalls enjoying the music and the recognition she got from the crowd, not the least of which came from the legendary saxophonist and bandleader Illinois Jacquet.
Upon hearing the young soprano sing, Jacquet immediately asked her to go on the road with him. At the time though, Fleming felt more suited to the clear path available in the world of academia than the uncertainty of life on the road. She decided to finish her degree at Potsdam and went on to graduate degrees from the Eastman School and Juilliard.
Fleming made her operatic debut in 1988 with the Houston Grand Opera performing the role of The Countess in Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro. She quickly became associated with that role and made debuts with it at the Metropolitan Opera in 1991, the Vienna State Opera in 1993 and at Glyndebourne in 1994. She's since become one of the most in-demand sopranos in the world, singing roles as diverse as Desdemona in Verdi's Ottello to Blanche DuBois in Andre Previn's adaptation of A Street Car Named Desire.
Fleming's latest release brings her full circle to the music for which she first received recognition. Haunted Heart features Fleming, backed by jazz stalwarts Fred Hersch and Bill Frisell, singing selections from the American popular songbook.
Check out this week's Piano Jazz Shorts: the Piano Jazz podcast.
Subscribe!
Set List for Renee Fleming on Piano Jazz: