Renee Fleming tweets divorce

As marriages go, it was never the happiest one. Renee and bel canto, that is. Booed by La Scala's feared loggionisti for her Lucrezia Borgia in 1998, pasted by the critics for last season's regrettable Met Armida, The Beautiful Voice has wisely never invested too much time in bel canto opera anyway.

Now, as she prepares to open in Lucrezia Borgia in San Francisco tonight, she reveals her decision to part  from the genre altogether. And what more ruthlessly efficient medium is there for a break-up than Twitter?

Comments

[stephen]

Well, it's not true that she was never a good bel canto singer. Her Pesaro Armida in 1993 and with OONY a few years later is quite good. She also sang a very good Straniera around that time. It is true that she never sang as much bel canto as some people think she did.

[Diane]

I find it difficult to take the twitterings of someone who refers to themselves as a "celebrated soprano and musical ambassador" seriously. But then, I can't take Twitter seriously either!

[Les Mitnick]

After hearing her sing "Pirata" at the Met, I was certain that she'd take on Norma. I'm sure that in the 2002 "Pirata" performances, she was stretching her voice to the limit, but it was very exciting, or at least I thought so. I myself was thinking that Norma couldn't be far very far off. Moreover, I'm sure a lot of other people were thinking the same thing. I felt that she had the makings of a great Norma. However, it is apparent that she thinks differently. I kind of feel bad. Moreover, I don not think her Armida was a failure. Miss Fleming, however, is the one who has to do the actual singing. Her judgement may be right, but it's a loss to those who were hoping for a Fleming Norma.

Meanwhile, there's still plenty of Strauss, Mozart, and other great stuff for her to sing. I'm a little sorry, however, that there will be no Fleming Norma.

[Alexander]

I like her and , in my opinion ( of course ;), she is the best nowaday's Lucrezia ( Scala 98) and Armida ( 93 and 96 probably) ... any way I can feel her Armida's force ( or "forte" ? ;) and Lucrezia's natural sexy lure judging only from her voice... I specially mentioned the years of her renditions for these parts... As for now - she is still the best Thais and Countess from Capriccio I think - but this story is a bit different than belcanto... so she is my lovely witch yet ;)

P.S. My other lovely witches are Kiri and Trebs and Ruth Ann Swenson (understand all and God bless her) and Maria Guleghina... speaking only about sopranos singing today.... waiting for the news on young talents provided by Intermezzo ;)

[C. Diamond]

Makes me all the more excited that I hold a tkt to the very last performance of her Lucrezia here in SF. I look forward to the last high and beautiful note!

[Nikolaus Vogel]

A Fleming Norma would have been a FIASCONE. I heard her Imogene at the Met and to say it was only approximately sung would be flattery. Intermezzo is on the money on this one - RF's forays into belcanto are partly a result of her delusional belief that she can sing almost anything. She can't. Of course, she makes some lovely sounds while skirting over the hard bits, but that, alas doesn't make her a Norma, the graveyard of over-ambitious sopranos. Anyone remember Margaret Price at Covent Garden in the 1980s? It was probably the low point of her career in London. Even RF has seen sense over this.

[Manou]

@Nikolaus Vogel - how could I forget the Price Norma! Woad, woad and woad everywhere, and twice the poor woman opened her mouth and NO sound came out. The whole production was quickly shelved after that. I am sorry to say that was the only time I ever saw Price live, so could not understand the adulation.

[Rose-Mary Hyslop]

If Renee's dodgy coloratura was the price one paid for six bel canto tenors on stage in one production, I thought it was worth it.