Renée Fleming, Ritorna 2004 (Handel, Rodelinda)

[@SteveL2012]

This is even more beautiful than her studio recording. Hard to believe! ❤

[@chaan280]

I almost always find her live performances at another level.

[@janetflier6192]

You are SO right!!

[@gracebowen841]

How wonderful she is !

[@ElliePince]

The way she speaks about Handel ❤️ is one of the reasons why I have Alcina on my sleeve. Thanks for posting!!

[@chaan280]

Yes! Straight to the Heart for me too.☺️

[@greatmomentsofopera7170]

Robert Carsen says Handel and Janacek are his two favourite composers to direct because both go right into the soul of characters. I totally get what he means. Fleming's Alcina is one of her greatest role assumptions, just epoch making singing, so much pathos invested in those simple vocal lines, spun on endless breath, gloriously silken from top to bottom. And Handel soprano with CHEST VOICE!? Never normally happens! She makes the character fearsome and a force to be reckoned with.

[@chaan280]

@@greatmomentsofopera7170 Thank you for a beautiful depiction! Yes love the intelligence and soulfulness of her singing, using her beautiful instrument in a more interpretational way than most. Having the resources to do it too. Christie giving her freedom and later taking that freedom for granted. Never boring, always intriguing.

[@greatmomentsofopera7170]

@@chaan280 It's so interesting because if you listen to Susan Graham's tracks from the same live recording, she's just so bland and uncommitted in comparison. She has this nearly perfect vocal mechanism (though scared of chest voice) but so little to say - I don't think she found Handel moving, and didn't sing much of it. In her whole career blandness is her biggest flaw, but she is great in some roles, like as Octavian. But like you say, Fleming just interprets so much more than your average singer... so aside from the insane vocal ability and technique, it's all personalised, pained, soulful. Some people find it mannered, those of us who get it, really get it!!

[@chaan280]

@@greatmomentsofopera7170 Yes! Great example. And yes making each performance count. I guess challenging herself and keep exploring the music and text is driving her and YES some like it and some don’t. Some truly ”gets it”as you say. Thank God she thinks it important and leaves it to others to sing the notes on the page. And of course one needs the resources too to be able to go to the next level. The colouring, the fraizing… I guess this is also why I could appreciate her Dumbarton Oaks concert. Not the same voice but quality yet not many can reach.

[@janetflier6192]

Gorgeous, Renée!!!

[@chaan280]

Through and through❣️

[@celloguy]

Gorgeous! Has she ever performed with her natural hair? Zurich arabella. But in concert?

[@vvalery1522]

There is a concert she did on Medici tv with Claudio Abbado. She had her hair curly for that concert and, may I say, it was gorgeous! It was with the Lucerne Festival and you should be able to see a clip of it on KZbin if you look up ‘Renée Fleming Gretchen am spinnrade‘

[@chaan280]

A guess would be Otello in ’95. Had a newborn at home so maybe time-efficient.

[@celloguy]

@@vvalery1522 Ah yes! I remember it!

[@celloguy]

@@chaan280 Otello she was wearing a wig for though?

[@chaan280]

@@celloguy Only a guess. :)

[@janetflier6192]

I wish she would wear her hair “natural” more often while performing. (The way we see it at the beginning of this clip!)

[@vvalery1522]

I have curly hair- let me tell you- whew! I wonder how longer it takes her to straighten it!?