121 Quotes by Renee Fleming

I am so envious of my colleagues from 100 years ago who only sang new works, they hardly ever sang revivals.

I don't want to record anything unless it can be great and genuinely interesting.

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

There's no performance where I never have to think about setting up a phrase or making a technical adjustment while I'm performing.

I don't want to be somebody who stands still and sings pretty. Each song is a world. Each song is a story. I don't achieve nearly what I want.

I think singing is one of the most natural things that human beings do, but it's difficult.

I think opera has gained a kind of glamorous appeal. It's a live performance that aligns all of the arts, and when it is represented in the media, in film in particular, it is presented as something that is really a special event, whether it's a great date or something that's just hugely romantic.

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.

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.