Homage: The Age of the Diva ~ Renee Fleming
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Free Music Notes for Homage: The Age of the Diva ~ Renee Fleming
Free Music Review: Fleming at her peak
Hit: 5 Stars
Voices don't come much more rapturous, powerful, creamy and expressive than this. Renee Fleming is now at her absolute peak; her voice retains its tonal beauty but has acquired more edge and vibrancy, too, to counteract the old accusations that it was all bland beauty and no feeling. If some of her embellishments and apparent liberties with the score - for example, particularly at the end of the "Vissi d'arte" - seem a little mannered or excessive, there is no doubting her desire to communicate a true depth of emotion and re-invent what can sometimes seem, by repetition in recital albums, rather hackneyed arias, such as "Tacea la notte". I don't think that the inclusion of the Gounod aria was a wise choice, despite her accomplishment; the voice is now too grand and Straussian an instrument to accommodate easily its demands and the subsequent aria from "Die Liebe der Danae" comes as a sublime relief. Here we find her back on home territory - but you can't knock her desire to formulate as eclectic a programme as possible. She certainly refutes the charge that she is only interested in pure sound, both by her treatment of the more familiar arias and by her inclusion of comparative novelties like the two Korngold pieces - which are stunning. The top notes are all in place, the pianissimi breathtaking, the lower register refulgent, the middle of the voice wonderfully rich. I had the pleasure of knowing Renee when she was still a student in New York City, shortly to return to her studies in Germany, and she was charming, open, modest, honest and utterly dedicated to her art. I believe that she has retained these qualities even as the world's foremost soprano, with the world at her feet. Clearly everything she does with her voice is to enhance the music, not for self-aggrandisement. Just listen with an open mind and revel in the sound she makes.Free Music Review: Almost perfect
Hit: 5 Stars
Renee Fleming is back in her element. And what a return it is! Were it not for some weird choices this CD could be almost as amazing as her Rosmonda recorded several years ago. This CD opens with a Cilea piece sung beautifully with just the right dose of melancholy and sadness. She follows the tradition of Magda Olivero who sang this piece with equally intense colors, yet my preference still belongs to Olivero because she had the voice for the whole role & Renee does not. The real reason why this CD is so utterly essential is Fleming's taste for Slavic songs, arias and roles. In her hands they become little gems, I wouldn't expect any less from a soprano known as a Lieder singer. The same goes for the German pieces which are sung beautifully. Her German diction is excellent (She speaks it fluently) but sometimes a little veiled, here studying Elisabeth Schwarzkopf will show the difference.
Tosca and Trovatore Leonora are puzzling choices because Fleming's voice is not suited for either. She sings them adequately but not with the natural mastership of a Callas, Price or Milanov. The French pieces are excellent again, her full lyric soprano is made for this repertoire like no other these days. Touching the subject of mannerisms all I can say is that if people dislike Renee's style of singing, why do they keep buying her albums?
I loved this CD almost 100% and I'm glad to see Renee back with an operatic recital rather than crossover.
Free Music Review: The welcome luxury of rare music and a great voice
Hit: 5 Stars
Two facts about this CD are undeniable: most of the arias will be unknown even to experienced opera fans, and Fleming's voice is in fantastic shape. I can't vouch for her pronunciation of Russian and Czech, but except for Mattila, no soprano before the public has sung these Rimsky, Tchaikovsky, Smetana, and Janacek arias with auch plush, secure, and ear-ravishing tone. In fact, the two conventional numbers from Tosca and Adriana Lecouvreur are the weakest here--they sound mannered compared to greats like Callas and Leontyne Price, nor does Fleming have a voice with the heft to handle Tosca in the opera house. The impassioned excerpt form Jenufa is especially welcome since Fleming repesents a major voice in the role; she is veyr affecting.
It's true that Fleming still indulges in pushing her emotions to stagey lengths--more diva than real-life woman--and she throws in sobs and catches that we could well do without. Even so, this is her first CD since a similar recital with Solti in 1997 where we get the luxutry of world-class conducting. Gergiev is splendid, particularly in the Slavic selections. The recorded sound is fine. All in all, this is a great treat for Fleming's countless fans and a reminder of how rare a true opera superstar has become.
Free Music Review: Renée Fleming's Best CD!
Hit: 5 Stars
"Homage: The Age of The Diva" is probably Renée Fleming's best CD to date. Her choice of arias suit the singer perfectly well and show her musically and dramatically involved in what she sings. With the excellent support of Valery Gergiev, Fleming intoduces us to a bunch of arias that young listeners will discover for the first time and more veteran aficionados had been waiting to hear sung by the best soprano in the world.
From the sensuous, ethereal, unbelievable beauty of Korngold's "Ich ging zu ihm" to the fierce drama of "Dalibor", the almost agonizing melodrama of "Poveri fiori", the joy and lightness of "Mireille", the tremendous passion of the arias by Tchaikovsky and Rimsky-Korsakov and the intense tragedy of "Jenufa", Fleming has rarely combined her amazing technique (seamless legato, radiant and luminous high notes, the strong and expressive low register of her voice) with such a dramatic impact.
If I had to take just one of Renée's CD to my desert island, it would be this one. Actually I think I am already addicted to it! I can't stop listening to it every day!
Brava Ms Fleming!
Free Music Review: Already one of my all time favorite albums
Hit: 5 Stars
This recital disc of mostly obscure operatic arias, is absolutely breath-taking!!!! Renee Fleming has one of the greatest voices around today!!! Her voice is so rich with warmth, vitality, and color. The selections on this disc fit her extremely well. There are also a couple of standards on this disc: Vissi d'arte from Puccini's Tosca, beautifully executed... such line and beauty. Also, Tacea la notte...Di tale amor from Verdi's Il Trovatore (one of my favorites).... although not as well suited for these roles as Leontyne Price or Sondra Radvanovsky, she still does an amazing job on these arias. The two selections by Korngold are so wonderful... they make me melt!!! I could go into great detail about all of these pieces, but I won't. Just purchase this album and you will be very pleased. I will say that the pieces from Janacek's Jenufa are so exciting as well!!! Fabulous album!!!