Quotes By Renee Fleming

For years, I had no time for exploratory travel.

I have not changed with the accomplishments. I've remained the same. If I had changed, great. You know, but I haven't.

Very few opera singers in history have been able to cross into popular music.

At this stage in my career, I don't have to take any big risks. You want to take a calculated risk, not one that leads to people saying 'yes, but there was that one time when she made that big mistake.' It's always a shame when that happens, especially if you've gotten by for decades without anything hugely tragic.

Well, any time I'm preparing for a performance or even a rehearsal, it's as if in a way, like any other athletes, these are muscles that support the vocal cords which are just I believe cartilage. It demands a kind of constant warming up and a constant feeling of where is the voice today.

I was constantly being pushed toward a European ideal of what it means to be a classical or opera singer, let's say in the Renata Tebaldi mode. I reject that.

When a human being without amplification makes a sound that is high and loud, it is almost unworldly.

I think singing it when it's done well is extremely natural. It feels great.

My parents were both high-school music teachers.

My mother was the worst kind of stage mother. She would make me and my younger sister and brother little duckling costumes and put us in kiddie shows.

Learning operatic roles is ongoing, and I find that I can learn on the train or subway, during a manicure, getting my hair done, and even while driving if I only look at the score at red lights.

I would love to do more private concerts.

Some of my first teachers were incredibly tough. You could never sing more than three words without being stopped and having to do it over 20 times. I loved that - that sort of process of dissecting and trying to figure out and master this incredibly mysterious instrument.

Because everything about the voice interests me, I felt it would be fascinating to learn a completely different style of singing.

I was always a very good student.

Everybody's a work in progress. I'm a work in progress. I mean, I've never arrived... I'm still learning all the time.

I've always been inspired by artists who have shown musical and intellectual curiosity and the courage to take risks.

Certainly, jazz has become more of a niche, which is surprising, because it's our music. It's the national music of America.

I want to get out of the major opera houses.

I learned so many roles so quickly as a young singer, I thought it was time to come back to them and make them better - deeper, more nuanced.

I listen to archival and historic recordings. I love watching singers. I learned a lot from watching videos.

I'm lucky - I can do two things at once.

I have a certain image that's more classic, and I'm happy to stay out of the fray.

I'm rarely singing in English.

I have had a very difficult time with stage fright; it undermines your well-being and peace of mind, and it can also threaten your livelihood.