Customer Reviews

Renée Fleming - Signatures ~ Great Opera Scenes / Sir Georg Solti

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Although I've loved classical music since I was a child, I've always found it difficult to enjoy opera--to the untrained ear, opera is just a bunch of people screeching in a foreign language! Coming home after a horrendous day at work one evening, I flipped on the local classical radio station to unwind--and the most absolutely gorgeous soprano voice I had ever heard poured out of the speakers. I literally stopped dead in my tracks to listen. I had no idea what she was singing, but the sound was so beautiful it brought tears to my eyes. When the aria ended, I ran to the phone, called the radio station, and asked who the soprano was. The answer was Renee Fleming.

"Signatures" was the first CD of Renee's that I purchased, and even though I've acquired most of her catalog, this is the one I always come back to. The sheer beauty and emotion in her voice transcends any and all barriers. I still am a bit of a neophyte when it comes to opera--okay, a lot of a neophyte--but I know what I like. A great CD to win over opera haters--or at least get them to grudgingly admit that some of it isn't that bad--and a tremendous CD for those who can appreciate the voice of one of the greatest modern sopranos. Bravo, Renee!

This CD goes beyond its purpose of being a showcase for Renee Fleming. The items for this CD were well-chosen, VERY well-chosen. The excerpt form Verdi's Otello is a flexible reading, catching the dexterity of Fleming's voice. The excerpt from Strauss's opera Daphne is by far the most valuable item on this CD. To have part of this rarely performed opera with Fleming and Solti conducting the LSO is quite special. The excerpt from Rusalka anticipates the success of the complete set and it is obvious that Fleming has affinity for this music. The Figaro and Onegin excerpts will impress but I think are more for variety. The six-minute excerpt from Peter Grimes is not really worth buying the CD for. Fleming is in superb voice and the LSO is on the peak of their form throughout. As great as the entire program is, the Daphne excerpt will make it a classic.

I am truly excited about this CD release. As a young man, I would hate to see opera becoming something grandparents talk about remembering the good old times. After all, that's how most of the opera magazines sound these days: Milanov did this and Callas did that and Vickers showed us how to, etc, etc. But, thank God, the art of opera is alive and well, and thanks to great recording technology available today we can enjoy the incredible young artists not only "picking up the torch" and "following the tradition" (which seems to be the highest form of praise in those magazines) but also inventing their own traditions and their own interpretations, which is essential if we want to see the art of opera survive and flourish. Soprano Renée Fleming has been singing major roles for quite some time before Decca finally made this release happen along with several others to follow. It almost appears as though she got her big break too late. Thankfully, that's not the case, this great singer is still in her prime and, as the three-plus years after this recording showed, she will remain on top for quite a few years to come.

This CD offers splendidly done scenes and arias from the greatest operas in five different languages of which Ms. Fleming has impeccable command. And what a treat it is to hear Sir Georg Solti at the helm providing beautiful, tactful, and rich orchestration! Ms. Fleming's voice is incredibly resonant and sensuous, simply gorgeous. (No shrieking or loud breathing whatsoever.) And her interpretations never fail to impress with passion and thoughtfulness. I have to mention that her Russian is fantastic for a non-native speaker (btw, listen to the nurse in the letter scene - it's Kirov's Larissa Diadkova). And I also absolutely have to say that Ms. Fleming is the "total package" so to speak - great voice and artistry plus phenomenal good looks. Oh yes, I do imagine her clearly as Countess or Desdemona, and even as Tatiana.

This disc also shows why she is one of the most diverse singers in the world; is there something she cannot sing and sing well? Not likely. Not only this album is an absolute must-have for anyone interested in opera, it is also a proud statement that we the young generation will also have stories to tell of great singers with whom we were fortunate to share a time period with.

Once again, Ms. Fleming has met all of my expectations with this superlative disc of arias and scenes from some of her "signature" roles (operas she has sung onstage, often to much acclaim). This CD begins with selections written by a composer Ms. Fleming is oft associated with: Mozart. Her interpretations of "Porgi amor" and "Dove sono" are assured with flawless intonation (which is a requirement for any good Mozartian singing). She sings (pianissimi that are) gloriously in tune even when she has to get "big" during the repeat of the second aria. This, despite the fact that much of "Dove sono" hovers on a lyric soprano's passagio. There has been much talk and debate about the new generation of Russian singers, many of whom hold a monopoly on Russian repertoire. The "Letter Scene" from Tchaikovsky's EUGENE ONEGIN is performed impressively (in its original language) with the mezzo Larissa Diadkova acquitting herself admirably as Tatyana's maid. Tchaikovsky's music may pre-date the advent of film (with audio) but his compositions are very cinematic in scope and, like good films or any piece of good art for that matter, is successful in evoking mood that ebbs and flows. The "Ave Maria" from Verdi's OTELLO is delivered heartbreakingly, especially notable is the way she floats that last "Ave". Prior to owning this CD, I had never heard any Britten but am suitably impressed with the excerpt featured here that I am going to investigate this contemporary (20th Century) composer. The closing piece is a fitting finale as it was written by another composer with whom Renee Fleming has been associated: Strauss. (While on this note, run out and get her disc entitled STRAUSS HEROINES. You will be impressed by the beauty of the singing and the caliber of the vocal acting.) DAPHNE is yet another opera with which I am not familiar but the committed performance on this disc whets my appetite to hear it in its entirety. The wordless singing near the conclusion (which, I interpret, is supposed to symbolize Daphne's transformation) is gorgeous, full of plush tone and ease between registers. This disc is illuminating as it shows Ms. Fleming's abiding interest in composers and operas that are not heard all that often, while proving that she can also excel at the standard repertoire. Brava!

Renee's voice is drop dead gorgeous - pure gold and cream. I like the Countess' arias. In my view, Renee has a more beautiful voice than Kanawa (I have Solti's classic Figaro). Also, Solti takes the arias faster here than in his Figaro recording and I prefer his speeds here. Rusalka is Renee's audition piece - she uses it (together with the Countess'a arias) when she auditions and she is simply gorgeous here. The willow song is captivating - I was mesmerized from start to finish. I like the Daphne extract, I think Renee is 100% suited for Strauss. What can I say Renee has one of the most beautiful voices in the world. one of the most beautiful I've ever heard. I can only advise you to buy this CD. Unfortunately, we won't get her full Desmonoma, or full Countess on CD(there is a DVD of a production in 1994), or full Tytiana because I think the catalogue has too many of recordings. What a pity! She has to make do with producing albums of arias. But I am still grateful I can hear Renee. If you love soprano voices, buy this!! Pure gold and cream!!

Also, I highly recommend Renee's stunning Fiordiligi in Solti's Cosi Fan Tutte and her incredibly beautiful Donna Anna in Solti's Don Giovanni. If you want a more complete 'Mozart' profile of Renee, her Decca CD of mozart arias (her first CD with Decca), is still available and you can here her sing an aria each of Susanna, Donna Elvira, Pamina, Konstanze and some other concert pieces and arias from Mozart's lesser known operas. It's a pity I won't get to hear her full Donna Elvira or full Konstanze or full Pamina or full Susanna. I would have loved to hear them all.

It's interesting for me to read somebody's review where Renée Fleming is compared to Galina Gorchakova, a far less well-known soprano from Siberia. Their voices could not be more different. Fleming's technique is flawless, her tone almost icy in its precision. Gorchakova wields an immensely more impressive instrument, but her technique, particularly in the two Italian arias that she shares with Fleming, could use some improvement. Incidentally, I heavily favor the Russian soprano--her sound is raw power and beauty, unforgettable and unique, whereas Fleming sounds like every other American soprano to surface in the past ten years, only better. Fleming is the third in a line of great American sopranos, taking up the space left by Leontyne Price and, before her, Eleanor Steber, who was by far the most underappreciated American soprano of this century, and quite possibly the best. At any rate, these selections are all beautifully performed, if not exactly earth-shattering, and worth listening to.

This may be one of my favorite albums of all time. Renee Fleming is of course amazing with Mozart...but there are other gems on this album. The scene from Otello is truly astounding!! My personal favorite on this album is the Embroidery Scene from Peter Grimes by Benjamin Britten...WOW!!! And of course we all know that the Song to the Moon from Dvorak's Rusalka is amazing. The Tchaikovsky is so wonderful!! The scene from R. Strauss's Daphne is awesome! Brava Renee!!!

Recorded in 1996, this disc provides the listener with a unique opportunity: to hear Renee Fleming, one of the most acclaimed sopranos of our day, collaborate with the (now deceased) veteran maestro, Sir Georg Solti, on a wide-ranging program of great operatic scenes. Fleming and Solti perform superbly in all seven of the scenes heard here. Fleming really creates different characters in each of the selections, which is quite an achievement. As I said, each track is superb; the "Song to the Moon" from RUSALKA, something of a signature aria for Fleming, is sheer beauty. But my own favorite track is the "Letter Scene" from EUGENE ONEGIN. Here Fleming's voice is limpid and youthful, beautifully shaded down to the softest pianissimo; her Tatyana is a sensitive and thoughtful yet passionate girl. Her Desdemona is also very moving, with a similarly limpid, girlish timbre. "Great Opera Scenes" is a thoroughly rewarding listening experience. I'd be very surprised indeed if, years from now, it is not considered a classic.

Renee Fleming has one of the most distinctive voices in the opera world. And on this 'signatures' album, she conjures up 6 heroines, each different in their demands they make on the singer. Fleming's voice is simply ravishing. She moulds both words and music into a true experience for the listener. What a woman! A real diva for our time!

A very intelligent CD to release. How wonderful it must have been for her to release a short sampling of her very best.

Fleming and Jonathan Summers' incredibly stirring Peter Grimes scene was so incredibly compelling, I was compelled to research the opera. I now have a new appreciation for the work of which I knew nothing about! That is how well Fleming has interpreted this role. I have come to the determination that she would be absolutely perfect for it and now I yearn to see in performance. Her rendition of the Embroidery aria is incredibly carefully prepared to the perfection that only Renee Fleming can give. She has this amazing ability to take the "opera singer" out of opera and deliver an entrancing and truthful interpretation of a role -- like she has here. I find myself pressing the repeat button my CD player listening this aria over and over again!

When I first heard the Rusalka aria, I made it my business to listen to it everyday. You can just tell with this and ALL of the arias on this CD that she just LOVES singing these pieces, and that is wonderful for a listener to be able to hear. However, a good time after hear this rendition of the Moon aria, I got hold of the actually Rusalka opera recording she made. Might I say to all you who love the rendition on this Signatures CD, can you believe that she can actually do it better! This other version is recorded after she stopped singing forte high notes in the back on her throat (around 1997). There is also a better sense of realism, like "in the moment." The Signatures CD leaves a more to be desired sense of dramatism. Recording the opera allowed this to showcase. Her diction is also very much clearer in this opera recording.

Fleming's Ave Maria will forever be the best in the land. It's just a role that she took hold of and recreated it like it was written for her.

Brava to Fleming for this intelligent endeavor as her career was beginning to bloom.