Interview with

Siobhan Owen

What inspired you to pursue Celtic Do you play or wish to play any other music? instrument?

When I was 12 one of my voice I started playing the guitar when I was teachers gave me an Irish song to about 6 or 7, but wasn’t very good! So learn (My Lagan Love) and taught me how to sing it in the Celtic style. She I took up instead. I got to about had Scottish background and thought grade 4 in piano, but don’t really play it would suit me because of my now. As part of our school music Welsh/Irish background. I loved that lessons, we all learnt the basics of song and it suited my voice, so I playing guitar, bass, keyboard and decided to learn more like it. I was drums. I was also the captain of the born in Wales to a Welsh dad and school drum corps, playing the snare Irish mum, so have a strong Celtic drum. Over the years I have bought a heritage which I enjoy keeping alive. few instruments… but haven’t really mastered them yet. Some of the At what age did you begin studying instruments are (which I the harp? played on my last ), mandolin, ukulele, guitar, violin, bodhran, Irish When I was 14 I was asked to sing at whistle, Japanese and the Adelaide concert of French harmonica. I eventually want to buy a singer/harpist Cecile Corbel (who I pedal harp and an electric harp. met on Myspace). She accompanied my songs with her harp and I was so Some of the best loved Celtic songs inspired by the beautiful sound that I have been performed hundreds of decided to learn to play myself.

times; what do you do to make them studio. I enjoyed working with my your own? producer, Quentin, to get the songs how we wanted them. We had a lot of I don’t really think about it. If there is fun! a song I really like and want to perform, I find out about what the Are there any other styles you would song is about and then work out a like to pursue in the future? Or do harp accompaniment for it, and try to you want to try and bring your Celtic sing it with feeling. I don’t usually sound to different genres? like to listen to other people’s versions, because I sing it how I feel it I don’t think many people realize that and don’t want to be influenced by I also sing serious classical music. I anyone else. started classical voice when I was 9 and I am still studying classical voice Celtic vocals have a very distinctive at university (Bachelor of Music sound, how did you learn to master Performance and Pedagogy – it? Classical Voice). Although I love singing arias, art songs and liede, I As I said above, one of my first don’t have any plans to be in operas singing teachers taught me basic … but you never know! Celtic “lilting”, and over the years I have developed my own way of I quite enjoy performing musical singing Celtic style. People used to theatre songs. I performed in my first say I sounded a bit like certain Celtic show when I was 10. The show was singers that I had never heard of or Brigadoon and I played a child (of listened to. I think I have a sort of course) but sang in the adult chorus! I classical Celtic style. continued performing in musicals until I was 15 or 16 – when I got too You have an extensive performance busy with my solo career. resume as well as under your belt. Which do you like better, I also enjoy singing jazz, although performing live or coming up with don’t get the opportunity to do much sounds in the studio? of it at the moment. I would like to learn some jazz pieces on my harp. Probably performing live because I They would be great for working in 5- can be free with how I sing a song. I star hotels or on cruise ships! never used to enjoy being in the studio. I don’t think you can sing with You have taken , so what as much passion as you can live. But do you think of shows like Celtic I really enjoyed my recent work in the Woman & Celtic Thunder, who use a

lot of choreography and lighting? Do A bunch of my CDs’! …. Seriously, I you think the added elements like to think I can touch their hearts enhance or detract from the musical with my music. If they leave my experience? concerts with a warm, fuzzy feeling, I’m happy. If I can make at least one- I love watching Irish dancing. It was person cry with my interpretations, after seeing Riverdance, when I was then I know I’ve done my job 5, that I started Irish dance! I have to properly. People often tell me they are admit that I prefer the early Celtic mesmerized by my performances, that Woman repertoire – and singers – to it takes them to a better place. That their new stuff. I think they’ve moved makes me feel really good. too far away from the traditional Celtic music that I love. I also think What have been some of your most the choreography and lighting make exciting music projects? their shows more Broadway than Celtic. I haven’t seen much of Celtic I have been very lucky over the last Thunder, but I have liked what I’ve couple of years to have been invited seen. to be part of some fantastic projects and events. Last year I was asked to What is your favorite song to sing the Welsh National Anthem at perform? the Australia versus Wales Rugby Union test match – to a crowd of That is much too difficult to answer! 44,000 and watched on TV by It changes depending on my mood, millions worldwide! That was an the event / venue and the type of amazing experience and a great honor audience. If the occasion calls for to represent my birth country. My something soft and haunting, it would family are very proud of that be “Black is the Color” or “She performance! Moved Through the Fair”. For a gentle lullaby type song probably Earlier this year I made my UK and “Cariad” or “Sora Wo Aruku” US debuts. In January I performed 3 (Walking in the Air in Japanese). For concerts in Wales and England. It was a fun song probably “Cyfri’r Geifr” the first time my family over there (Counting the Goats). A dramatic had seen me perform live, so it was song would be “Bring Him Home” or very special. In March I headlined the one of the operatic arias I perform at Los Angeles St David’s Day (Welsh) uni. Festival in Barnsdall Park on Hollywood Boulevard. That was an What would you like your audience amazing experience. We were invited to take away from your concerts? to a Hollywood VIP reception for the

unveiling of Richard Burton’s star on wanted this one to be a bit different so the Walk of Fame on the day we asked local producer Quentin Eyers to arrived in LA. Lorin, the festival work on the album. He had wanted to director, was introducing me to movie work on an album with me and did stars and celebrities. I don’t know if one sample track to see if I liked his was the jetlag or the occasion, but it work… I loved it! So we ended up was all very surreal! with 17 tracks, which Quentin had added extra instrumentation (playing In June this year I received an email many of the instruments himself) from French writer / composer / which enhanced my voice and harp producer, Alan Simon, asking if I was and gave it a magical sound. All the interested in being part of his next tracks had a story to tell, and I project. He was writing a arranged the songs in a logical order Celtic/symphonic ballet based on the starting with the lullaby “Cariad”, legendary love story of Tristan and then taking the listener on a journey Yseult. Alan had been searching the of love, loss, prayers and dreams, and internet and came across a video of finishing with the music box style me singing “Cariad” and decided I melody of “Storybook Journey”. I had was the voice he wanted for “Yseult”. my photo shoot done the fairy-tale The project involves an album to be castle style Thorngrove Manor, and released on February 14 next year, the graphic designer did a fantastic and a World Premiere show In job of the artwork, adding to the Nantes, France, on March 7. The Storybook theme. I am very pleased show will have ballet dancers with how the album turned out, and portraying Tristan & Yseult, while proud that it was awarded Classical myself and Roberto Tiranti will be the Crossover UK 2012 “Album of the voices. I will be going over to Nantes Year”! Downloads are available on this November for a showcase and iTunes, Amazon & CD Baby, and press conference, then back again in signed copies of the physical CD can March for the show. I am very excited be ordered from my website. about this project and feel very lucky that Alan found me. Besides music, what do you do for fun? Can you tell us something about your latest albm? I love to draw and paint. I do mainly manga style, but like to try other “Storybook Journey” is my 4th studio styles too. I enjoy reading fantasy album, and definitely my best! My novels, especially Tolkien. I am previous albums had quite simple fascinated by languages and have accompaniments of harp or piano. I been trying to learn Japanese for a

couple of years. I even went to Japan overseas travel with my music. I have for a month last year to study the had offers of work on cruise ships and language! I like to play pool with my in a 5-star hotel in Dubai. I was too brothers and hang out with my uni young at the time and didn’t want to friends. miss any university. But I would like to take up offers like that in the future. What are your dreams for the I would love to be a singer in future? something like Cirque du Soleil or Cavalia. I would really love to have I want to carry on performing and my voice in movies and animes. making CDs. I want to do more

www.siobhanowen.com

Interview with Anna Hawkins

By Chantelle Constable

Hi Anna, thanks for taking the time to my first album at 14. It’s hard to let us get to know you better. Let’s pinpoint when I decided I wanted to start at the very beginning… have a career in singing, it was very early on. I remember being in What musical training did you have hospital at the age of 10 after a growing up, and at what point did motorbike accident with a blow to my you decide that you wanted to make a voicebox. I wasn’t allowed to talk or career of singing? sing and the doctors were worried about my voice coming back. This I started singing publicly from the age was extremely upsetting because by of seven at the local Country and that age I’d determined this was what Western Club. I did a lot of I wanted to do with my life. competitions and had informal lessons to prepare for these with someone Do you have any favorite who led the club. I learnt a lot about performance memories, whether it performance, looking back at old was a prestigious event or videos I wonder where I got my collaborating with a certain confidence. At the age of eleven I orchestra, or even a special “first” began formal classical singing lessons for you? this opened me up to a lot of different musical styles, I won some classical There are many memorable moments. competitions at 12 & 13 and recorded I particularly remember at the age of

15 performing in-front of 200,000 at It did take me some time choosing the the Coca Cola Christmas in the Park material, I wanted to be unique in my at Auckland Domain. More recently song choices. There are many songs would be performing my song, in my repertoire that didn’t make it to Journey On, with the Christchurch the album because I felt like they’d Symphony Orchestra at Hagley Park already been done. Having originals and time recording in Poland and grace the album was a first for me and London. Those were pinch me an exciting step. I’d narrowed it down moments. to five to choose from and they all ended up making it on the album. You are currently preparing to tour as Christine in Ken Hills Phantom of What was the most challenging the Opera in Japan. What are some aspect of undertaking the project of other musical theatre (or opera) roles recording an entire album by that you have performed, or would yourself? What was the most like to perform someday? rewarding?

Yes, it’s very exciting. I’ve played To be honest I think the most Fantine in Les Miserables, Florence in challenging thing is second guessing Chess, Lucy in Jekyll & Hyde and yourself. It was a huge undertaking more recently Kim in Miss Saigon. for me and one that involved a lot of Funnily enough I’d love to perform risk. It can be a scary thing and these roles again if I got the chance. sometimes you can question am I I’ve always been attracted to the role doing the right thing, is this going to of ‘Eponine’ in Les Mis and I think work out, am I making the right Elphaba in Wicked would be a decisions, it’s easy to doubt yourself fabulous role also. I love to dance and or get discouraged along the way. act so it would be great to explore this Dreams cost you something but it’s more in the future. worth it. The most rewarding thing is getting to do what makes you come Your album contains a mixture of alive inside. To now have an album in original songs and favorites from the my hand that other people are classical crossover genre; what was enjoying and being touched by is also your process of choosing songs for incredibly rewarding. the album? Did the selections seem to fall in place quickly, or was it a When did you first begin writing long process to narrow down your your own songs? Part of being a list? classically-oriented singer is not necessarily performing “covers” but

bringing life to the work of beloved Indiegogo and Kickstarter to fund songwriters and composers. Do you their album recording projects; you have a preference between yourself funded “Journey On” performing your own work vs. songs through Indiegogo. What was that written by others? experience like? Did you have certain expectations that were not Writing and performing my own met, and some that were exceeded songs is relatively new for me. I did beyond what you imagined? dabble when I was younger but it’s really only blossomed in the past 3 to Yes, after I’d recorded the album I 4 years. It’s something I didn’t see still needed funds for the myself doing, being a classical singer, manufacturing and other expenses and but now realize it’s a huge part of me was encouraged to do a Indiegogo to express myself in that way. I love campaign, something a friend had being able to take songs from a wealth done for his album. While the album of songwriters and perform them as recording itself had already been well as my own songs. However, funded by my own money and means performing my originals I’ve found to there were still many expenses. It also be more vulnerable and I think there’s seemed like a good way to involve something special in that. friends, family and those who follow me in my project. We didn’t reach the It’s obvious from lyrical imagery in goal by a long shot but it was so some of your songs like “Delicate encouraging to have people support Flower” as well as the atmosphere what it is your trying to achieve. and lovely backdrop of New Zealand in your album photoshoot that you Are there any other genres besides are inspired by the beauty of nature; classical crossover that you could see what are some other sources from yourself performing, either as an which you draw inspiration? extension of your current career, or as a “one-off” just for fun? Obviously from my own life and experiences but also from observing I think listening to my album you can other people, cultures and history. I tell I enjoy Celtic music. I have Irish also draw inspiration from God and heritage and I’d particularly like to spirituality. A lot of songs stem from explore this genre of music more. I’d a thought and/or emotion. love to do a ‘spiritual album’ in the future, perhaps. It will be interesting Many artists are using “crowd- to see how my songwriting develops sourcing” platforms such as

as this will influence the style of my You address some deeper issues in albums in the future also. your original songs while maintaining the lyricism of poetry, What music do you listen to enabling people to take away their recreationally? Can you share your own interpretation of your songs. Is top five favorite albums with us? there one message in particular that you hope people receive from your I listen to all sorts of music from music? classical, opera, musical theatre and Celtic/world music through to pop I think the main message would be and classic rock. hope. I’d like for my songs to be I love Josh Groban (particularly All thought provoking but ultimately to that Echoes, Closer & Awake) and leave the listener feeling inspired and Andrea Boccelli albums. I’ve also more hopeful than before. I want to been enjoying listening to Celtic make music that is healing and singer Loreena Mckennitt. When I’m uplifting to people and connects them in the mood I love show soundtracks to an emotion inside. This is what I and I enjoy NZ singer/songwriter appreciate most about music, the Brooke Fraser and the Bethel Band. power it has to touch our souls. www.annahawkinsmusic.com

10 Questions with Anastasia Lee

By Don McCullen

Don: What performance have you me for autographs, pictures, and enjoyed the most so far in your CD’s, which as you know I don’t career? have CD’s yet, but that is being worked on. I signed shirts, napkins, Anastasia: I would have to say (I have etc. 2) at the EAA in front of the B-29 “FIFI”. Everything imaginable went Don: Based on your experiences do wrong. There was no ‘mini-stage’ set you have any tips for concert up as they said there would be, no planners? microphone, no camera-man, no CD- player, etc. I sang the whole concert Anastasia: I am not a picky soprano, live, with no mic., and acapella. The in most cases my ‘dressing room’ is a other concert would be at ‘Operation: bathroom stall, and normally I don’t Greatest Generation’ at the National get to do sound checks. One thing I do Railroad Museum. Performing for all notice is that when someone wants to those veterans (around 1,000) was the hire you, they seem to forget what greatest event of my life. It felt they are paying for. For example, wonderful! someone said they would like to hire me, and they asked if I sang and pop They treated me well at both shows, or Lady Gaga. A tip is, if you are and I was flooded by people asking planning a concert, make sure you

pick the right artists, (make sure they have to do and that’s all there is to it. I all have a good following and bring like to joke around on stage and on something ‘different’ to your show), easier songs (that people know), I ask and that what you are doing is them to sing along with me, and that actually ‘doable’. helps them understand me more and it helps me calm down (let the Don: How does it feel to perform on adrenaline subside!). stage? The day I sing, I eat nothing. I once sang, ran a 5K, and sang again, all in Anastasia: Really it’s just like the same 2 hours, without eating running. Have you ever heard of anything (this was at the end of the “Runner’s High”? Well it is the same day). I felt great, but I got funny looks thing. So much adrenaline gets from people. It’s not that I can’t eat pumped through your body, you get anything before I sing, it’s just that I jittery, and it’s a neat feeling really. I did it so often when I was more of a started performing all over the place novice, that now I can’t bring myself when I was around 13, but from the to break that habit. time I was eight until now that feeling before going onstage and whilst being Don: Do you have any favorite songs on stage has never left. [Running] is you like your audience to sing along much more physically painful, but as with? far as feelings go, the excitement is really nerve-racking. I can get pretty Anastasia: “That’s Amore”, “We’ll stressed out before I run and before I Meet Again”, etc. I don’t do that sing. many songs with my audience, but mainly WWII era songs with the Don: How do you deal with that audiences. It depends on the venue, at stress? Italian Festivals, everyone sings along to everything. Anastasia: There really is no ‘way’ to deal with it, you just do what you

www.anastasialee.com

Interview with Laura Wright

With special thanks to Kathryn Nash

Mezzo soprano Laura Wright first came to the spotlight as a winner of the BBC2 Chorister of the Year title. She then joined classical crossover girl group All Angels as one of its founding members. The group’s successful recording career opened the door for Laura to launch her own career as a solo recording artist. She is now signed to and has released two albums. Laura was the official singer of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee anthem, “Stronger as One,” and remains the first official anthem singer for the English Rugby team.

Congratulations on your recent You recently performed at ‘Opera in gradation from the Royal college of the Park’ and called it a highlight of Music! You’ve been singing your summer. Do you have any professionally and recording albums ambitions to pursue roles in opera or for a few years now, why was it so musicals? important for you to continue formal music training? I’m now at an age where I can take on some smaller roles in operas, however Thank you! As a singer you are i would miss my concerts and fans too constantly learning, your voice much! I love being able to choose the changes from year to year and like ‘best bits’ from operas, shows, any muscle in your body it needs musicals etc. and putting them on an training and exercise! I had also album…you get the best of both recently left All Angels so Royal worlds! College helped me train as a soloist…it was a huge struggle to deal You paid tribute to beloved favorites with the time management, but I was with your first album, but have also lucky to have such huge support from set lyrics to classical material and my manager, family and the record performed contemporary music. label who all respected my decision to What do you think the importance of continue my education. new material is to a fairly new genre such as crossover? Your first album ‘The Last Rose’ focused on folk music, while Like all musical genres, they are ‘Glorious’ was more of a diverse constantly evolving and changing. We crossover collection. What would you will always have an enormous amount like to explore with your next album? of classical material to perform but I feel passionate about allowing new That’s a good question!! I’m so composers to grow and make their excited about my new album, I can’t mark on the classical industry too. spill the beans just yet but let’s say This new material will be seen as this repertoire has been a passion of ‘classic’ in years to come, so it’s mine for years as well as by popular important. request from the fans! I’m also working on a creative side project If you could work with any classical which I’m very excited about as it’s composer from the past who would it enabled me to work with some artists be? How about the present day and producers from other genres. (classical or contemporary)?

I would love to work with John Yes, it’s been a very natural change Tavener, I remember hearing ‘The within my voice. When I was 15 or Lamb’ for the first time when I was 8 so, my voice was ‘thinner’ and had or so and my brothers sang it in their less vibrato but as you get older your church choir, I was mesmerized by voice naturally develops a richer tone the music and the poetry. I later and a stronger ‘bottom end’. I have studied the piece at school and more control over my vibrato now too understood more about the composing which is great when singing so many method he used to create such beauty. different genres of music. I love the work he produces and I think his compositions are timeless. You are very involved with charities especially of late Nordoff Robbins. Our culture is very obsessed with What inspired you to get involved ‘skinny’ at the moment and lots of about this one in particular? fad diets to achieve the goal. You on the other hand seem to be motivated I love this music therapy charity, I’ve by fitness. How important do you been to able to watch some of their think it is to switch the focus to sessions and meet a lot of the families health instead of just focusing on who benefit from their help. It’s clear weight? they are a lifeline to many families, not only do they help the client with SO important! I am so passionate therapy and give them means to about being a healthy size. Every communicate through music, they woman has a different shape and I also support the family too. I feel believe it’s about celebrating that and privileged to be an Ambassador for being on top of your health. I love my them. fitness challenges and all sorts of exercise, because it makes me feel What singers inspired you growing empowered and strong. Cue ‘I’m a up and who do you look up to today? survivor’ Music! A huge range of singers from classical Correct me if I am wrong, but you to contemporary. I love the warmth of are recently listed as a mezzo Anna Netrebko’s voice and the drama soprano on your twitter account behind Patricia Petitbon’s voice. I while previously been listed as a have Billie Holiday’s ‘Lady Sings soprano in your work with All The Blues’ album on my iPod on Angels. Has it been an easy repeat! However, when I work out I transition to make? like to listen to progressive house,

drum n bass and dubstep…so a big also running the Run To The Beat mixture! Half marathon to raise money and awareness for Nordoff Robbins. When you are not on the rugby field or performing onstage, what do you What advice do you have for enjoy doing for fun? someone who is trying to pursue a career in music? I’ve just started a vegetable patch, so far there’s lots of soil and not many Take all the advice you can get, but vegetable’s but I’m full of hope! Ha! I stay true to your goals that you want also love running Marathons, to achieve. Someone once told me it’s triathlon’s, cycles…anything that gets the journey to the top that’s the most the heart rate up! I’m performing at exciting and the relationships you the World triathlon series and taking build along the way. part alongside my brothers too. I’m

laurawright.co.uk

Renee Fleming By Fran Laniado

On July 10, 2013, at a White House University; the Eastman School of Ceremony, President Barack Obama Music and The Juilliard School), nor presented soprano, Renee Fleming is it likely to be the last. But it is with America's highest honor for an fitting that the artist known as “the individual artist; the National Medal people's diva” should have a high of Arts. This certainly wasn't the first honor from the government of her award that Fleming has received own country. (Fleming is a four-time Grammy Fleming's ascent in the opera world winner, who has also been awarded can be seen as a sort of fairy tale. Or it Fulbright Lifetime Achievement can be seen as the natural (if Medal; Sweden’s Polar Prize; the extraordinary!) fate of the daughter of Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur two music teachers. But it wasn't from the French government; always easy. In fact, Fleming Honorary Membership in the Royal confesses to suffering from nerves Academy of Music; and honorary and insecurity throughout her career. doctorates from Carnegie Mellon

Rise to the Top

Certainly, her beginnings are humble two years later at the age of 29 when enough. She grew up in Rochester, she won the New York and attended the State Auditions. That same year she sang University of New York (SUNY) at for the first time what was to become Potsdam. There she joined a jazz trio one of her most famous roles; The that performed in an off-campus bar. Countess in The Marriage of Figero Fleming credits her jazz experience in her debut at the Huston Grand with allowing her a sense of freedom Opera. The following year she made with music that she's brought to her her Opera debut as classical repertoire. Though jazz Mimi in La Boheme. 1989 also saxophonist Illinois Jaquet offered her marked Fleming's first performance of the opportunity to tour with his big Dvorak's Rusalka, a role that she band, she declined in favor of refers to as her “signature” role, continuing her graduate studies in which she has performed many times music at The Eastman School of all around the world. Fleming was Music in Rochester, New York. When scheduled to make her Metropolitan Fleming won a Fulbright scholarship, Opera debut the following season, but she traveled to Europe where she she debuted 1990, earlier than studied with legendary sopranos such planned, when she replaced a sick as Joyce Arleen Auger and Elisabeth Felicity Lott as the Countess in The Schwarzkopf. Upon her return to the Marriage of Figero. Later that year United States, Fleming sang jazz gigs she returned to the Metropolitan in order to fund her continued Opera to originate a role in an opera. education at the Julliard School of She played Rosina in the world Music. It was at the Julliard Opera premiere of John Corigliano's Ghosts Center that Fleming first began to of Versailles. Then Fleming made her appear in roles like Musetta in La Carnegie Hall debut with the New Boheme. York City Opera Orchestra, performing the music of Ravel. She Though she began her professional also played Rusalka once again, this career while she was still a graduate time at the Huston Grand Opera, and student at Julliard performing in appeared for the first time at the smaller concerts and concert series., Tanglewood Music Festival, in Renee Fleming's “big break” came

Mozart's Idomeneo. Other major premiere of Conrad Susa's Dangerous “firsts” followed. Fleming traveled Liaisons. In 1995 Fleming signed an around the world performing to exclusive recording contract with the acclaim. In 1993 she made her New London/Decca label. She was the first York City solo debut recital at Alice American singer in 31 years to do so! Tully Hall in Lincoln Center. In 1996 she sang the role of Donna Fleming, who considers performing in Anna in Mozart's Don Giovanni with original works one of the most the Paris Opera at the reopening at the important things that an opera singer Palais Garnier, conducted by Sir can do in terms of having a lasting George Solti. Solti chose her as the impact on the art form, originated recipient of the first ever “Solti Prize” another role in John Kander’s Letter to be given to an outstanding younger From Sullivan Ballou at the Seattle singer. Solti said of Fleming that “In Opera's Richard Tucker Awards my long life, I have met maybe two ceremony. 1994 was another big year sopranos with this quality of singing. for Fleming who performed her first The other was Renata Tebaldi”. The Desdemona in Otello at the next few years saw Fleming going Metropolitan Opera and then from one high to the next. In 1998 she performed the role of Ellen Orford in originated the role of Blanche DuBois Britten's Peter Grimes, also at the in the world premiere of Andre Met. Next she originated another role: Previn's Streetcar Named Desire. Madame de Tourvel in the world

Threatened by Stage Fright: Fleming's “Dark night of the soul”

Then there was a snag. Or rather in 1993. But by the late 1990's the several. By the late 1990's Fleming marriage was crumbling. Fleming was at the height of her professional escaped into her workload, taking on career. But while her professional life more than she could handle. was going well her personal life was The already emotionally fragile undergoing ups and downs. In 1989, Fleming was booed at the opening when her career was just taking off, night of Donizetti's Lucrezia Borgia Fleming had married actor Rick Ross. at La Scala in Italy. It's hard to say Together they had two daughters; why. It wasn't a bad performance any Amelia, born in 1992, and Sage, born

objective sense. But the show had Fleming was not stranger to pre- undergone several difficulties. The performance jitters. But this was had dropped out and had to be something different. "We're talking replaced at the last minute. Frustration about deep, deep panic, and that had built amongst the audience during every fiber of your being is saying, 'I the performance, because the cannot be on that stage.'" conductor had passed out at the Looking back on the period from the podium and had to take an distance of several years, Fleming unscheduled 30-minute break. The believes that the anxiety she booing began during Flemings closing experienced was a combination of scene and continued after it was over. personal and professional stress that “I began to shake and I shook for manifested itself as stage fright: "It days,” she says. Despite the fact that was just a very difficult time. You Fleming continued her run in the role know, the mind can only take so much without incident, she calls it “the and then it says, 'OK, I don't want to worst night of her operatic life”. do this anymore. This is too much However, when she returned to the pressure.” She calls this period her United States her colleagues “dark night of the soul”. congratulated her. Naturally Fleming was confused. Then she learned that Yet no one on the outside would've she was far from the first singer to be known that anything was wrong. In booing on opening night at La Scala. 1999 she won her first Grammy It is a rite of passage that opera greats award for her album “The Beautiful such as Pavoratti, Callas, Cabelle and Voice”, and closed the year by many others have been on the performing at the White House receiving end of. Fleming could now Christmas Celebration for President count herself in good company! Bill Clinton. That same year she appeared at the Metropolitan Opera, Yet this incident, and the stress in her the San Francisco Opera, and Covent personal life caused a year of Garden where she sang the role of the crippling stage fright for Fleming. Marschallin in Der Rosenkavalier. Though she never backed out of a performance, she suffered terribly. Fortunately, she was able to draw on “Every cell in my body was support from those around her. "My screaming, No! I can't do this! you voice teacher stood in my dressing feel as if you will die." room and walked me to the stage. And thank God, because in retrospect I

think if I had somehow quit or said, Interestingly, a study of the 'I'm just going to take some time off psychology of opera singers done in and get on top of this', I'm not sure the 1980s found that there is more when and how I would have gone performance anxiety amongst those back," she explains. who have voices in the higher registers. As a soprano Fleming Eventually Fleming's life took on a definitely falls into that category. But more even keel. Her divorce was why would and sopranos be finalized in 2000 and she kept custody more prone to stage fright than, say, a of her daughters, Amelia and Sage, mezzo or a baritone? Fleming raising them as a single mother. Does speculates “I think it's the level of she still get nervous? Absolutely. risk. We who sing high have a great “There are still high-pressure deal of risk, tenors most of all engagements and I'm very happy because the raison d'être really for a when they're over”. But “I'm always tenor is a brilliant high C or a comfortable once I get on stage. It's brilliant high tone. And sopranos the week or two in advance...when I have the same pressure to a slightly suffer. And I've always had this lesser degree. But, you know, every strange coping mechanism, in a sense voice type has difficulty." a sort of 'deal' with myself that if I suffer enough in advance, then I can perform well."

The People's Diva

In 2001, with the United States still sung the song, again and again, reeling from the attacks of 9/11 only a trying to imprint it into the muscle month earlier, Fleming was asked to memory of my throat so that when the perform at a memorial ceremony at time came to perform it, I would be Ground Zero. Fleming was to perform able to get through to the end without “Amazing Grace”. It was one of those crying”. However, in spite of that performances that Fleming worried practice, looking out at the crowd about weeks in advance. In her Fleming knew “when I started to sing autobiography she recalls “In the I'd have to look at the sky or I'd never week leading up to that event, I had maintain my composure”. She also

speculates as to why she was asked to opera house or recital hall and perform at the service: after all, participates in something that non- classical singers, even famous ones, opera fans take part in. For example, aren't household names or in 2002, Fleming was hired to provide recognizable faces to mainstream the vocals for Howard Shore's audiences. So why ask a classical soundtrack to Lord of the Rings: singer to perform at a time of grief Return of the King. Fleming has sung and mourning? She came up with in many languages including English, several theories. The first is that “the French, German, Italian, Russian, and tradition of music grounds us and Czech. However, this project connects us to one another through a presented her with a new challenge: sort of universal appreciation that singing in Elvish! transcends taste, particularly in songs That same year, author Ann Patchett such as 'Amazing Grace' and 'God released a novel called Bel Canto Bless America'. Second, a trained about a group of terrorists taking a voice has a kind of innate authority group of executives and people of that transmits a sense of strength. We high political standing hostage at a can be heard without a microphone. party at a private residence in an We sing with the entire body. The unnamed South American country. sounds we make emanate not just The novel explores the relationship from the head, but from the whole between the hostages and the heart and soul and, most important, terrorists living in the house together the gut...”. Fleming has performed for for several months. One of the main large audiences many times before characters of the book is an American and since, yet this performance stands operatic soprano, Roxane Cross, who out in her memory. She recalls was invited to sing at the event. As looking out at “nine thousand people Patchett wrote, she imagined Roxane crushed into a space that was Cross having Fleming's voice. Her impossibly small for them, filling up music brings both terrorists and the streets, pressing shoulder to hostages together in its beauty. The shoulder in every direction until they novel was a best seller and Fleming became one single line of sorrow”. helped Patchett promote it. This is just one example of why, over While she was providing the the years, Fleming has earned the inspiration for Ann Patchett's novel, nickname “the people's diva”. She Fleming was also at work on a literary makes artistic ventures outside the project of her own. In 2005, Fleming

released a book called The Inner reader a full understanding that the Voice: The Making of a Singer. voice is an instrument: just as much as Fleming describes this as less of an the piano or the violin or the flute. autobiography than a portrait of an However, if a cello breaks the player artist at work. It's the story of her can always get another. The singer artistic development. She recalls her doesn't have that luxury. Fleming education, describes how she never forgets that if her voice goes, interprets a score, studies lyrics in her career, and all that goes with it, is foreign languages, and engages with over. She gives aspiring singers the character that she's playing. She advice on how to care for their voices, also describes some of the personal because glamor aside, that's what it all challenges she's encountered along comes down to. the way. There's no insider gossip. Following the book's release, Fleming Fleming touches on her personal life continued to make herself accessible once or twice, mentioning her rather than aloof to the general public marriage and divorce and making it rather than just opera audiences. In clear that though she loves her career, 2006, she released a jazz album called her daughters are by far her first “Haunted Heart”, that brought her priority. After their birth she travelled back to her early roots as a jazz with them, and when they started singer. school she took more engagements in and around her home base of New Fleming opened the 2008 York City, and limiting travel to the Metropolitan Opera’s 125th summers so that her daughters could anniversary season with a solo come with her. opening night gala. She was the first woman ever to do so. The 2008 One theme that runs through the book season at the met was dedicated to is an understanding of how fragile her Fleming who appeared in Verdi's stardom is. While she loves what she Otello as Desdemona and in the title does, Fleming is always aware that all role of Massenet's Thais. of the opportunities and experiences that her career has brought her comes In 2009 Fleming tackled a new down to “two little pieces of cartilage challenge: a solo work written in my throat. These vocal chords- especially for her by composer Henri delicate, mysterious and slightly Dutilleux. Le temps l'orloge (Time unpredictable- have taken me to and the Clock) is a three song cycle unimaginable places”. She gives the based on two poems by Jean Tardieu

(“Le temps l'orloge”, and “Le itself wasn't hard. “Most of the masque”) and one by Robert Desnos singing on this disc is easier than (“Le dernier poeme”) , as well as speech. I just whispered into this Charles Baudelaire's prose-poem enormous mic in the booth; the “Enivrez-vous”. Dutileux explains technology did the rest. I got that “I constantly thought of her incredibly frustrated because I wasn't voice's character, of her power of using my whole body. With classical lyrical expression” when writing the singing you have to put out so much piece. Fleming first performed the air – you project, you emit force. We work in 2007 but by 2009, Dutileaux add timbre to the text, we color it by had added an interlude as well as using vibrato, and in the end the included a fourth poem. The premiere words just become abstract sound. of the complete work took place in Here there's none of that, so the voice May 2009 at the Theatre des Champs- had no physical support and at first Elysees in Paris. couldn't stay in tune – and I'm a fanatic about pitch!” Her early jazz In 2010 Fleming crossed over from training wasn't something she could the classical world again, and released fall back on either. “You’re not an album that no one expected of her. allowed to improvise either, the way “Dark Hope” covered songs by you can in jazz. The words really , , matter, you can't scat like Ella! Those , and more. When kids cared about what they were Fleming was first approached to saying, and you have to respect that – record this music by her the political protest in the Willy she was astonished. “I wondered what Mason song, or the nightmare about they were thinking – how they could women being treated as devils in possibly imagine my voice in this 'With Twilight as My Guide' [by the music. They gave me an Excel print- Mars Volta]. It needs a much more out with a list of possible titles. The straitjacketed vocal technique. They only piece I'd ever heard of was had to police my diction, for instance Leonard Cohen's 'Hallelujah', – they wouldn't let me use explosive because I'd taken my kids to see consonants, so no dental sounds on d Shrek.” But it seems that Fleming is or t.” Essentially Fleming had to never one to shy away from a “unlearn” years of training a and a challenge. This particular challenge lifetime of hard work in order to be was difficult in ways that Fleming able to cover songs by Muse, Arcade could never anticipate. The singing Fire, and . The

arranger and engineer on the record In 2012 the newlywed Fleming helped Fleming through the process. performed at Queen Elizabeth II's “I'm not a person who easily gives up Diamond Jubilee from the balcony of control but he persuaded me to trust Buckingham Palace. She also him. My mantra through it all was recorded Alexandre Desplat’s theme that I must be sounding bland, I didn't song, “Still Dream” for the animated think I was imposing myself, making feature film Rise of the Guardians. an interpretation. He told me to wait It's interesting that someone plagued for the finished product." He was by performance anxiety has found the right. While a few purists grumbled, nerve to venture out of her comfort the album earned generally positive zone time and time again. Fleming reviews. could have had a successful career 2011 was a big year for Fleming in playing it safe in the staple roles several ways. In March she appeared where she began. Instead she's in the Grande Finale concert of the stretched herself artistically in unique Youtube Symphony Orchesta along ways. However, in spite of all her with the Sydney Children's Choir. crossovers into the realm of They performed Mozart's “Caro Bel mainstream focus, Fleming's first love Idol Mio”. Within a week the concert remains opera. “Other things can had 33,000,000 online views! She continue to happen, and it's only an also ventured into film once again, aside. My main work is in opera -- providing the singing voice of opera that's the substantial, satisfying part diva Bianca Castafiore in Steven of what I do. I don't intend to give up Spielberg's animated film The my day job." She hopes in the future Adventures of Tintin. She can be to take part in more original works. heard on the film's soundtrack singing “Really, all I want to do is develop a “Juliette's Walz” from Gounod's new opera again. That's totally my Romeo et Juliette. In September of first priority artistically. Being that same year Fleming married involved in bringing something to life corporate lawyer Tim Jessell. She and has got to be the highest artistic goal Jessell were set up on a blind date by that we, as interpretative artists, can none other than Ann Patchett, author achieve.” of Bel Canto!

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