Notes and Editorial Reviews
Renee Fleming is a throwback to the prima donnas of another era. Grounded in the rigorous traditions of bel canto, the extraordinary soprano combines virtuosity, vocal authority, dramatic flair, and glamour in a way that thoroughly captivates audiences. BY REQUEST is a retrospective of sorts. Taken from recordings made over a nine-year span, the album looks back at the singer's remarkable career and offers ample proof of her impressive accomplishments.
The program covers a broad stylistic spectrum and offers a fine demonstration of the breadth of Fleming's range, from Mozartean classicism to French Romanticism, Italian verismo, and Broadway show tunes. Each selection is stamped with the mark of her unmistakable artistry. The disc
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includes plenty of diva showcases with no lack of vocal pyrotechnics, but the true measure of Fleming's artistic mettle may lie in her beautifully formed accounts of works such as "Mariettas Lied" from Korngold's 'Die tote Stadt,' the aria from 'Bachianas brasileiras No. 5' by Villa-Lobos, Gershwin's "Summertime," and "Cacilie" by Richard Strauss. The album also includes three new recordings including the closing track, a stirring rendition of Rodgers & Hammerstein's "You'll Never Walk Alone." Read less
Works on This Recording
1.
Gianni Schicchi: O mio babbino caro by Giacomo Puccini
Performer:
Renée Fleming (Soprano)
Conductor:
Sir Charles Mackerras
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1918; Italy
Date of Recording: 07/1999
Venue: Watford, England
Length: 2 Minutes 50 Secs.
Language: Italian
2.
La Wally: Ebben?... Ne andrò lontana by Alfredo Catalani
Performer:
Renée Fleming (Soprano)
Conductor:
Sir Charles Mackerras
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1892; Italy
Date of Recording: 07/1999
Venue: Watford, England
Length: 5 Minutes 2 Secs.
Language: Italian
3.
Le nozze di Figaro, K 492: Porgi, amor, qualche ristoro by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer:
Renée Fleming (Soprano)
Conductor:
Sir Georg Solti
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Symphony Orchestra
Period: Classical
Written: 1786; Vienna, Austria
Date of Recording: 12/1996
Venue: London, England
Length: 3 Minutes 52 Secs.
Language: Italian
4.
Così fan tutte, K 588: Temerari!...Come scoglio by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer:
Renée Fleming (Soprano)
Conductor:
Sir Georg Solti
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Chamber Orchestra of Europe
Period: Classical
Written: 1790; Vienna, Austria
Date of Recording: 05/1994
Venue: London, England
Length: 4 Minutes 23 Secs.
Language: Italian
5.
Norma: Casta diva by Vincenzo Bellini
Performer:
Renée Fleming (Soprano)
Conductor:
Sir Charles Mackerras
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Philharmonic Orchestra,
London Voices
Period: Romantic
Written: 1831; Italy
Date of Recording: 07/1999
Venue: Watford, Englad
Length: 5 Minutes 58 Secs.
Language: Italian
6.
La traviata: Ah, fors' è lui...Sempre libera by Giuseppe Verdi
Performer:
Renée Fleming (Soprano),
Joseph Calleja (Tenor)
Conductor:
Patrick Summers
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Orchestra of St. Luke's
Period: Romantic
Written: 1853; Italy
Date of Recording: 05/2003
Venue: New York City
Length: 9 Minutes 58 Secs.
Language: Italian
7.
Madama Butterfly: Un bel dì vedremo by Giacomo Puccini
Performer:
Renée Fleming (Soprano)
Conductor:
Sir Charles Mackerras
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1904; Italy
Date of Recording: 07/1999
Venue: Watford, England
Length: 4 Minutes 52 Secs.
Language: Italian
8.
Manon: Je marche sur tous chemins "Gavotte" by Jules Massenet
Performer:
Renée Fleming (Soprano)
Conductor:
Jeffrey Tate
Orchestra/Ensemble:
English Chamber Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1883-1884; France
Date of Recording: 08/1997
Venue: London, England
Length: 6 Minutes 14 Secs.
Language: French
9.
Rusalka, Op. 114/B 203: O moon high up "Song to the moon" by Antonín Dvorák
Performer:
Renée Fleming (Soprano)
Conductor:
Sir Georg Solti
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Symphony Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1900; Bohemia
Date of Recording: 12/1996
Venue: London, England
Length: 5 Minutes 56 Secs.
Language: Czech
10.
Songs (14), Op. 34: no 14, Vocalise by Sergei Rachmaninov
Performer:
Renée Fleming (Soprano)
Conductor:
Jeffrey Tate
Orchestra/Ensemble:
English Chamber Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1912-1915; Russia
Date of Recording: 08/1997
Venue: London, England
Length: 5 Minutes 37 Secs.
Notes: Arranged: Braden
Composition written: Russia (1912 - 1915).
11.
Lieder (4), Op. 27: no 2, Cäcilie by Richard Strauss
Performer:
Renée Fleming (Soprano)
Conductor:
Patrick Summers
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Orchestra of St. Luke's
Period: Romantic
Written: 1894; Germany
Date of Recording: 05/2003
Venue: New York City
Length: 2 Minutes 22 Secs.
Language: German
12.
Die tote Stadt, Op. 12: Glück, das mir verblieb "Mariettalied" by Erich Wolfgang Korngold
Performer:
Renée Fleming (Soprano)
Conductor:
Jeffrey Tate
Orchestra/Ensemble:
English Chamber Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1920; Vienna, Austria
13.
Porgy and Bess: Summertime by George Gershwin
Performer:
Renée Fleming (Soprano)
Conductor:
James Levine
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Metropolitan Opera Orchestra,
New York Voices
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1935; USA
Date of Recording: 05/1998
Venue: New York City
Length: 4 Minutes 18 Secs.
Language: English
14.
Bachianas brasileiras no 5 for Soprano and 8 Cellos: Aria "Cantilena" by Heitor Villa-Lobos
Performer:
Renée Fleming (Soprano),
Dave Grusin (Piano),
Lee Ritenour (Guitar)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1938-1945; Brazil
Date of Recording: 12/1999
Venue: USA
Length: 5 Minutes 4 Secs.
Notes: Arranged: Dave Grusin
15.
Carousel: You'll never walk alone by Richard Rodgers
Performer:
Renée Fleming (Soprano)
Conductor:
Patrick Summers
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Orchestra of St. Luke's
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1945; USA
Date of Recording: 05/2003
Venue: New York City
Length: 4 Minutes 44 Secs.
Language: English
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