I never really got to see Renee until I watched Thais and Rusalka and I was so captivated by this incredible soprano with those hypnotic blue eyes and gentle, gracious way of speaking. She seems almost otherworldly. Such an interesting perspective on La Traviata and Violetta.
It is very important to hear a remarkable soprano like Fleming analyze with Pappano this role. She is clearly aware of the challenges and to hear her humility in relation to the musical challenges that Verdi presents is quite unusual. I do not think that she has always made the right choices for her voice but I have enjoyed seeing her in other roles and I respect greatly her willingness to risk roles that need the greatest of musical abilities.
Fleming's assessment of the power of the character, beyond the music, is fascinating and so accurate. If Violetta did not rise above everyone else we, as an audience, would not be captured by her, even with Verdi's genius.
Violetta has been my dream role ever since I saw Renee sing it opposite Rolando Villazon in the DVD from the LA Opera. I sang Violetta when my school opera ensemble performed Brindisi this year, and it gave me a small taste of my dream. ❤️
LadyinRed I’m just now seeing this. Thank you so very much! I’m still singing, more than ever! I’m applying to Young Artist Programs right now, so I’m a small step closer. 😊
at around 17:00 she describes using her body to create sounds the way I think about, say, throwing a ball. It's mind-boggling. What is a heavy sound vs a light and easy sound??? how does one not use muscles and throat? To me, the uninitiated, this is all quite incomprehensible and astounding and endlessly fascinating. can't wait til my next trip to the opera house!
-The only singer I ever heard admitting having such a hard time in Sempre libera and she didnt have half the hard time that so many "great" singers of the past had who actually destroyed the aria - incredibly honest and intelligent she is.
Back in the days of Connecticut Opera, when I was in the young artist program as well as the chorus, soprano Mary Dunleavy came off the stage after leveling the audience with a spectacular "Sempre Libera," and said "God, I HATE that aria!" I replied, "Well, it sure doesn't hate you!" LOLOLOLOL!
A logical question for Maestro Pappano and Ms. Fleming: How does VERDI explain Violetta's ultimate decision to live with Alfredo? This is especially important in light of her emphatic resolve to continue her hedonistic life as expressed in "Sempre Libera". Keep in mind that we are logic-oriented. Axiom. When things become unclear, return to the point where everything WAS clear. In our case, go back to "Un di Felice". It is at this point that things go awry. Verdi's music provides the emotional truth for Violetta's human response, especially when we factor in Alfredo's offstage singing during "Sempre Libera". I look forward to a response. Thank you.
I agree. It comes through practice for sure. "Is this working? Yes, I'll do more of that." The actual mechanics are lost to singers and even the vast majority of teachers. It's nothing to be astonished about. A teacher's job is to get a singer to sing well. It is not to know the ins and outs of physiology or even psychology. (Though voice teaching is one primarily of psychology.)
@@davidalbro2009 a teacher never succeeds anything else than to pinpoint the flaws, it is up to the singer to correct them and if the problem is Pitch, forget about it... the uncorrectable ability
