She was also a major interpreter of Strauss’ “Four Last Songs.”Īnother opera that she was well-known for was Dvorak’s “Rusalka,” which she recorded and sang prominently in the 1990s and 2000s. Strauss and Fleming are virtually synonymous for many people with the soprano championing such works as “Arabella,” “Capriccio,” and “Der Rosenkavalier” throughout her career. Signature Rolesįleming sang a wide range of repertory, but there are a few operas and composers that she dominated at the peak of her career.

On May 13, 2017, the soprano performed her last staged production of ”Der Rosenkavalier” at the Met Opera before heading to Broadway to take on “Carousel ” she earned a Tony Award nomination.

Her recognition is so great that she made history by performing the national anthem at the Super Bowl and has appeared on the soundtracks of several major motion pictures such as “The Lord of the Rings,” “The Shape of Water,” “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,” and “Tin Tin,” among others.įleming has always been a major recording artist for Decca and has four Grammy Awards as of early 2018. She would begin recording extensively and her career would take her to superstardom. From there she made her Met Opera and San Francisco Opera debuts in 1991.įleming would go on to perform at opera houses around the planet with the top artists. In 1990, she became a Richard Tucker Award winner and made her debut at the Seattle Opera. A year later, she made her debut at the New York City Opera and won the George London Competition. In 1988, she won the Metropolitan Opera Auditions and then made her debut at the Houston Grand Opera. Then she continued her studies at Juilliard and started performing professionally. She would receive her Master’s Degree at the Eastman School of Music and subsequently earned a Fulbright scholarship to study with Elisabeth Schwarzkopf and Arleen Augér. The Pennsylvania native grew up in New York and kicked off her studies at SUNY Potsdam. Renée Fleming, born on February 14, 1959, would become one of, if not the most, prominent American soprano in recent history.

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