What Becomes a Legend Most?

Two years ago, the American soprano Renée Fleming made an album called “Homage.” The idea was to pay tribute to legendary sopranos of the past. Ms. Fleming, too, is a legend — or will be one, in the fullness of time. She has her off nights, like everyone else. But, unlike everyone else, she is an immortal.Ms. Fleming had the honor of opening the Metropolitan Opera’s 2008-09 season on Monday night. She starred in a gala, consisting of three stretches from three operas. These stretches were Act 2 from Verdi’s “Traviata,” Act 3 from Massenet’s “Manon,” and the Final Scene from Strauss’s “Capriccio.” In other words, Ms. Fleming was Violetta, Manon, and the Countess — and these are three of the roles in which she is most celebrated.There are other roles, of course. Ms. Fleming is Tatiana, Rusalka, Susannah (in Carlisle Floyd’s opera), and a slew of other women. She is a very famous Desdemona. But she is hardly less famous as her other women.And she is a strikingly versatile singer. Consider that, in Bellini’s “Pirata,” she is a bel canto soprano — a coloratura. In the meantime, she is the leading Marschallin, in Strauss’s “Rosenkavalier,” of our day. She is a Handelian, a Mozartean, a jazz singer. She pretty much runs the gamut.And she has achieved a measure of popular fame. After Plácido Domingo, she is probably the best-known classical singer in the world. Or perhaps she is tied with that tenor? On Monday night, after the gala, they passed out samples of her new perfume — yes, perfume.At the end of the 19th century, an Australian soprano had both a kind of toast and a peach dessert named after her (Nellie Melba). Ms. Fleming is getting a taste of that. Indeed, there is a dessert named after her, here in New York: “La Diva Renée.” (It is a fancy chocolate affair.) All this is good for opera as a whole.What is most important, of course, is the singing. And how did Monday night go? Tiger Woods sometimes says, “I didn’t have my A game” — and this is after he has won the tournament. He can win with his B game, and his C game. A soprano such as Ms. Fleming is not dissimilar. She did not have her A game: She seemed to be experiencing some vocal fatigue. She has been fresher, stronger. But she has ample reserves, and she manages to win come what may.People talk about Ms. Fleming’s mannerisms, and they are perfectly right to do so. But I always say, “One man’s mannerisms are another man’s endearing characteristics.” Ms. Fleming is distinctive, always recognizable. She is not vanilla — and neither were Price, Milanov, and others who became legends.She was not alone on the Met stage during this gala, of course. In the “Traviata” and “Manon” acts, she had the Mexican tenor Ramón Vargas at her side. He had some problems in the early going: He was constricted and uncertain, especially up top. He also made some odd musical choices. But he settled down, and, in the Massenet, he delivered a satisfactory “Ah! fuyez, douce image.”The American baritone Thomas Hampson was Germont in “Traviata.” When he entered, he looked like death, with his tall black hat and matching black cloak. He spelled doom for Violetta. But Germont gets nicer later. Mr. Hampson sang and acted well and cagily. This can be expected from him.In “Manon,” another American baritone, Dwayne Croft, did his usual solid job. And, in the role of the Count des Grieux, we had luxury casting: the veteran British bass Robert Lloyd, who sounded glowing, as he always has.By the way, there were three different conductors on this night, with the Met’s music director, James Levine, leading off. He gave the “Traviata” music its special, almost unique character. We heard the typical Levine crispness, bounce, and all-around musicality. There was not a false or thoughtless step.Consider two portions of Act 2: “Pura siccome un angelo” and “Di Provenza il mar.” Each moved crucially along, but they were not what you would call “brisk.” They were simply right. They had backbone — and often they are killed by lassitude.Marco Armiliato was in the pit for “Manon” — let it not be said that he is for Italian opera only — and Patrick Summers was in the pit for “Capriccio.” Both handled their duties ably.As for Ms. Fleming, she is so versatile and capable, she can even do books — “The Inner Voice” is well worth a reader’s time. It is packed with good ideas, along with good stories. What will her life be when she retires? It will be interesting to see. Possibly, she will be like Beverly Sills, an ambassador from music — particularly from opera — to the rest of the world.In an interview last year, Ms. Fleming said that she had no more items on her musical to-do list: no repertoire she absolutely had to sing or record; no roles she had to acquire. She has had a fully satisfying career. She has sung her songs, to borrow an old line. Yet she is far from through.Have you ever seen “Thaïs,” the Massenet opera from which the famous “Meditation” comes? Ms. Fleming will sing the title role at the Met this season — starts December 8.

What Becomes a Legend Most?

What Becomes a Legend Most?

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