By Diane Feen
For those lucky enough to be in the presence of world famous Soprano Renée Fleming, it was a night of cold temperatures and warm hearts.
As part of the 2010 Festival of the Arts BOCA in Mizner Park we bore witness to a woman who has studied the classic arias of great composers and is capable of making them her own.
In a world of bytes and strokes, clamor and calamity, it is refreshing and uplifting to be in the presence of musical genius. And what made it even more exciting was her down-to-earth banter – hence the reason Fleming has been called “The Diva Next Door.”
“They liked strong women in those days,” she said, referring to a piece by Rossini, adding, “There is a lot of rejection in the first half.”
It was hardly contagious though. Not many of us felt rejected as we listened to one of the greatest operatic voices on the planet. Her enthusiasm was contagious (albeit in the atypical South Florida freeze) and her musical range was startling. As she sang the brilliant music of Richard Strauss and Puccini (in the second half) her voice seemed to crystallize in the cool crisp air, lifting us up toward the cosmos while dropping earthly kisses on our heads.
For opera lovers it was a divine experience, for music lovers it was equally as stellar. Perhaps that is the reason we love music so much – it lifts us up above the petty (health insurance travails and budget debates) and brings us to a place of serenity and hope.
While some hovered in their fur coats and woolen shawls, it was Fleming who seemed to weather the weather with élan in an emerald green gown with deep square neckline. She told us that Bellini’s “Casta Diva” from Norma was a prayer to the moon with a wish for peace, and let us in on her excitement to be in Mizner Park, “I love to do this in these open spaces.”
After Strauss she moved on to (a favorite) La Bohème. She sang “Donde lieta usci” from Puccini and two arias from La Bohème by Ruggero Leoncavallo.
Fleming also told us that some of her songs were about love and that “I have experience in that.”
It was evident that Fleming (who has won three Grammy Awards) knows a lot about a lot of things (not just love). Her voice has been honed by years of study and a virtuoso quality that propels genius to tiny particles of musical enlightenment.
Fleming has performed in all types of venues (and all genres of music) including Sesame Street, Garrison Keillor’s Prairie Home Companion, at The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial and at more opera houses than you can count on your fingers (The Met in New York is her oyster).
The second in command on Saturday night at the Festival of the Arts BOCA was the illustrious (and amazingly talented) Russian National Orchestra conducted by Patrick Summers.
Fleming showed us another side of her musical repertoire by performing “Hello, Young Lovers” from The King and I and “You’ll Never Walk Alone” from Carousel. Toward the end of the concert she casually announced, “There’s no Diva stuff here, I’m just going to keep on going.
And going she did. She sang “I Feel Pretty” from West Side Story (Maria would have been proud) and ended with another West Side Story classic, “Somewhere.”
We all knew we were somewhere – and we all knew we had spent a few hours with a woman of rare musical talent (and humility). That was confirmed after the concert when Fleming showed up in the guest tent to meet and greet her fans (and supporters), sign autographs and pose for photos with awe-struck guests.
Fleming was gracious, approachable and the perfect virtuoso to honor the classics of musical greatness. And for that we were grateful.
Festival of the Arts BOCA continues through March 13 with classical music, jazz, films and talks by renowned scholars and authors at Mizner Park.
For information on the festival and tickets go to: www.festivaloftheartsboca.org or call 1-866-571-2787