American Voices
Eleni Hagen
EXCERPT:
If you’re a fan of the human voice, chances are pretty high that you’ve heard of Renée Fleming.
A four-time Grammy Award® winner, Ms. Fleming’s velvety yet shimmering soprano has graced operatic and theatrical stages around the world. Her voice has also been a featured attraction at a startling variety of global events, including the 2008 Olympic Games, the 2009 Presidential Inauguration, and the 2014 Super Bowl. A recipient of the Fulbright Lifetime Achievement Medal, an Honorary Membership in the Royal Academy of Music, and the National Medal of Arts (the highest honor that can be bestowed upon an artist in the United States), Ms. Fleming has fully established herself in the world of music and song.
But if you aren’t familiar with her name, odds are you’ve heard her sing.
That’s because Ms. Fleming is a firm believer in the communicative power of the voice, and makes a point of extending her repertoire in order to reach as many types of listeners as possible. Despite her operatic roots, she’s lent her vocals to film soundtracks (perhaps most famously to The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King) and crossover albums of jazz and pop standards, including 2005’s Haunted Heart and 2010’s Dark Hope. Ms. Fleming is happy to assume the role of ambassador for the various genres of vocal music, and many credit her with introducing novice listeners to the field of opera. When it comes to her interest in bringing music to the public, her sense of commitment seems limitless.
In her official role as Creative Consultant at Lyric Opera of Chicago, Ms. Fleming has further solidified her status as emissary, not just for listeners, but for singers and music administrators as well. Since 2010, she’s served the world renowned organization by spearheading educational projects, organizing outreach performances, and championing twentieth and twenty-first century operas. Her work as both curator and host of American Voices at the Kennedy Center is just one of several similar examples of her passion for singing in all its forms.
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