Program - Renée Fleming (March 7, 2006)
Contents
Program
- Henry Purcell
- Sweeter Than Roses, from Pausanias
- I Take No Pleasure in the Sun's Bright Beams
- I Attempt From Love's Sickness to Fly, from The Indian Queen
- George Frideric Handel
- O Sleep, Why Dost Thou Leave Me?, from Semele
- To Fleeting Pleasures Make Your Court, from Samson
- Calm Thou My Soul...Convey Me to Some Peaceful Shore, from Alexander Balus
- Endless Pleasure, from Semele
- Francesco Cilea and Giacomo Puccini
- Poveri fiori, from Adriana Lecouvreur (Cilea)
- O mio babbino caro, from Gianni Schicchi (Puccini)
- Vissi d'arte, from Tosca (Puccini)
- George Crumb
- Apparition (text by Walt Whitman)
- The Night in Silence under Many a Star
- When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd
- Dark Mother Always Gliding Near with Soft Feet
- Approach Strong Deliveress!
- Come Lovely and Soothing Death
- The Night in Silence under Many a Star
- Apparition (text by Walt Whitman)
- Robert Schumann
- Ständchen
- Mondnacht
- Hauptmanns Weib
- Hochländisches Wiegenlied
- Er ist's!
- Stille Tränen
Notes
Renée Fleming appears by arrangement with IMG Artists, 152 West 57th Street 5th, New York, NY 10019. Ms. Fleming records exclusively for Decca/London.
About the Artists
Renée Fleming, renowned for her sensuous voice, stylistic versatility, and captivating stage presence, is recognized by the press and public as one of the great artists of today. Acclaimed as the "gold standard of soprano sound," the two-time Grammy Award winner's vocal artistry is sought after on the world's most distinguished stages and in recordings. An acknowledged risk-taker in her field, she is a champion of new music as well as the standard repertoire, and has earned the respect of her colleagues and praise from journalists for the many works written for her and the many roles she has created for the operatic stage.
Summer 2005 highlights include a performance with the London Symphony Orchestra at the Barbican for André Previn's 75th Birthday Gala, performances of Otello with the Royal Opera at Covent Garden, a performance with the Danish Radio Orchestra, and appearances at major music festivals including Lincoln Center's Mostly Mozart (televised on PBS), Spain's Festival Internacional de Santander, Switzerland's Lucerne Festival and Berlin's famed "Waldbuehnen" series. Haunted Heart, a popular album of jazz standards and classical works with Fred Hersch and Bill Frisell that pays homage to Ms. Fleming's jazz roots, was also released in early summer.
Ms. Fleming's 2005-06 season includes the U.S. release of the Penguin paperback version of her acclaimed book, The Inner Voice (September 27). Her record label, Decca, also releases two recordings: Strauss' Daphne with the WDR Symphony conducted by Semyon Bychkov (September 13) and Sacred Songs, a collection of sacred songs and arias recorded with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Andreas Delfs (September 27). Engagements of special note this season include two operatic productions at the Metropolitan Opera: Manon (September/October 2005; April 2006) and Rodelinda (May 2006); a three-city U.S. tour of Daphne (concert version), with the WDR Symphony Orchestra with performances at Ann Arbor's Hill Auditorium, New York's Carnegie Hall and Washington, DC's Kennedy Center (October); a January concert at Carnegie Hall with the MET Orchestra and James Levine; and a three-city tour with baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky and the Moscow Chamber Orchestra with concerts in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Prague (February 2006). Ms. Fleming has two television specials this season: a November 27 ZDF (Germany) program of selections from her new CD, Sacred Songs; and a January 27 worldwide telecast from Salzburg's Mozarteum celebrating Mozart's 250th birthday with the Vienna Philharmonic and Riccardo Muti. Additional international concerts include a five-country recital tour in November with performances at London's Barbican, Amsterdam's Concertgebouw, Oslo's Concert Hall, Paris' Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, the Théâtre du Capitole de Toulouse, Germany's Ludwigsburg Forum am Schlosspark and the National Theater in Munich. U.S. orchestral dates include December holiday concerts with the Omaha Symphony, Houston Grand Opera, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Baltimore Symphony, New Jersey Symphony and the Rochester Philharmonic; February performances with the Buffalo Philharmonic, Dayton Philharmonic and Columbus Symphony; and appearances with the Honolulu Symphony in March. In April she appears on The Juilliard School's 100th Anniversary Gala, and in May on the Metropolitan Opera's Gala Farewell to Joseph Volpe. U.S. recitals include Florida's Kravis Center (West Palm Beach), Naples' Philharmonic Center, the Broward Center (Ft. Lauderdale) and the Philips Center (Gainesville) in January, and Illinois' Dominican University and Hancher Auditorium in March. Summer 2006 engagements include June performances of La traviata in Japan with the Metropolitan Opera conducted by Patrick Summers, as well as a MET Orchestra concert with James Levine.
A celebrated artist in the recording arena with numerous award-winning discs to her credit, including two Grammys and eight Grammy nominations, Ms. Fleming has been an exclusive recording artist with Decca since 1995.
Her current recordings include the title role in Strauss' Daphne conducted by Semyon Bychkov; and Sacred Songs. Recent releases include Haunted Heart, and Renée Fleming: Handel, a collection of that composer's best-loved arias. Ms. Fleming can be heard on the best-selling Warner Bros. Records original 2003 movie soundtrack to The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, in addition to her work on other soundtracks.
An avid reader since childhood, Renée Fleming is an advocate for literacy. She is featured in the 2005 nationwide Get Caught Reading campaign, supported by the Association of American Publishers and the Magazine Publishers of America, and also in the 2004-05 READ poster campaign by the American Library Association. Viking Penguin published Ms. Fleming's first book, The Inner Voice, in November 2004 with the Penguin paperback release in September 2005. An intimate account of her career and the creative process in which Ms. Fleming shares personal experiences learned throughout the course of her career, the book is also published in France by Fayard Editions, in the United Kingdom by Virgin Books, by Henschel Verlag in Germany and Shunjusha in Japan.
Ms. Fleming's achievements within the classical music industry have been recognized with many honors, the most recent being the 2004 Classical Brits Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music. In 2003, she was bestowed with Honorary Membership by the Royal Academy of Music; she received the 2003 Female Artist of the Year from the Classical Brits Awards, and an honorary doctorate from The Juilliard School (where she was also the commencement speaker). Included among her earlier awards are the Commandeur de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres from the Republic of France (summer 2002); the 2000 Gift of Music Award from the Orchestra of St. Luke's, given to individuals who have made a significant contribution to the world of classical music; and the first Solti Prize of l'Académie du Disque Lyrique for her outstanding recording artistry (1996). A passionate champion of creativity in the arts, Ms. Fleming is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Carnegie Hall Corporation, and a member of the Advisory Board of the White Nights Foundation of America.
Outside of the classical music world, Renée Fleming's excellence has been acknowledged, from appearing in advertising campaigns to serving as an inspiration for award-winning novelists. She has represented Rolex timepieces since 2001. The novelist Ann Patchett was inspired by Ms. Fleming's recordings when creating the main character in her best-selling book, Bel Canto (2002). She appears in the upcoming Phil Grabsky feature documentary film, In Search of Mozart, debuting in 2006, via Seventh Arts Production throughout Great Britain and Europe, to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the composer's birth (January 2006). In November 2004, Ms. Fleming was honored by The New York Public Library as a "Library Lion," an annual award given to individuals in recognition of their contributions through their work. The "Renée Fleming Iris" was unveiled in her honor in May 2004, and in 1999, master chef Daniel Boulud paid homage to her with the creation of the dessert, "La Diva Renée." Couturier Gianfranco Ferre has designed Ms. Fleming's stage gowns since 1998, and Issey Miyake, Vivienne Westwood and Oscar de la Renta have created gowns for her as well.
Renée Fleming studied at The Juilliard School and holds degrees from the State University of New York at Potsdam and the Eastman School of Music. In early years, she was a recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship to Germany. A winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Auditions, she was also the recipient of a Richard Tucker Award, George London Prize, and a Grand Prix at the International Singing Competition in Belgium.
Richard Bado is a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and made his professional conducting debut in 1989 leading Houston Grand Opera's acclaimed production of Show Boat at the newly restored Cairo Opera House in Egypt. Since then, Mr. Bado has conducted at Teatro alla Scala, Opéra National de Paris, Houston Grand Opera, New York City Opera, the Tulsa Opera, the Florida Philharmonic, the Montréal Symphony, Wolf Trap Opera, Houston Ballet, and has conducted the Robert Wilson production of Virgil Thomsen's Four Saints in Three Acts at the Edinburgh Festival. He appears regularly in recital with Renée Fleming and has also accompanied Cecilia Bartoli, Denyce Graves, Susan Graham, Marcello Giordani, Ramon Vargas, Samuel Ramey and Nathan Gunn. Mr. Bado, who holds music degrees from the Eastman School of Music, where he received the 2000 Alumni Achievement Award and West Virginia University, has studied advanced choral conducting with Robert Shaw. As Houston Grand Opera' Chorus Master, Mr. Bado has prepared choruses for 17 seasons, including the chorus for the Decca video recording of La Cenerentola with Cecilia Bartoli. In the fall of 2005 Mr. Bado joins the faculty at Rice University's Shepherd School of Music as Director of the Opera Studies Program. He has been on the faculty of the Aspen Music Festival and School for 11 summers and has served on the music staff of the Metropolitan Opera, Seattle Opera, Opera Theater of St. Louis, Chautauqua Opera and Wolf Trap Opera. Mr. Bado also a served as Houston Grand Opera's Head of Music Staff for 14 seasons. This past seasons' highlights include conducting Madama Butterfly at the Houston Grand Opera, preparing the HGO Chorus for HGO's 50th Anniversary Gala Concert and working on Wagner's Ring Cycle at the Seattle Opera. This seasons' highlights include a six-city recital tour with Renée Fleming and a recital debut with Frederica von Stade.
Texts and Translations
Sweeter than roses
Henry Purcell
Sweeter than roses Or cool ev'ning breeze, On a warm, flow'ry shore, Was the dear kiss. First trembling made me freeze, Then shot like fire all o'er. What magic has victorious love For all I touch or see; Since that dear kiss I hourly prove, All is love to me.
I take no pleasure in the sun's bright beams
Henry Purcell
I take no pleasure in the sun's bright beams, Nor in the crystal river's purling streams; But in a dark and silent shady grove, I sigh out woes of my neglected love. Come, cruel fair, and charm me, ere I go To Death's embraces in the shades below. For tho' condemn'd and fetter'd here I lie, 'Till I your sentence have, I cannot die. One look from those dear eyes, and then adieu To all your cruelties and beauties too.
I attempt from Love's sickness to fly
Henry Purcell
I attempt from love's sickness to fly in vain, Since I am myself my own fever and pain. No more now, fond heart, with pride no more swell, Thou canst not raise forces enough to rebel. For love has more power and less mercy than fate. To make us seek ruin and love those that hate. I attempt...
O Sleep, Why Dost Thou Leave Me?, from Semele
George Frideric Handel (1685-1759). Text: William Congreve, after Ovid: Metamorphoses Act II.
Semele: O sleep, why dost thou leave me? why thy visionary joys remove? O sleep, again deceive me, to my arms restore my wand'ring love!
To Fleeting Pleasures Make Your Court, from Samson
George Frideric Handel. Text: Newburgh Hamilton, after Milton: Samson Agonistes Part II.
Dalila: To fleeting pleasures make your court, no moment lose, for life is short! The present now's our only time, the missing that our only crime.
Calm Thou My Soul...Convey Me to Some Peaceful Shore, from Alexander Balus
George Frideric Handel. Text: Thomas Morell, after Maccabees, Book I, Part III.
Cleopatra: Calm thou my soul, kind Isis, with a noble scorn of life, ideal joys, and momentary pains, that flatter, or disturb this waking dream. Convey me to some peaceful shore, where no tumultuous billows roar, where life, though joyless, still is calm, and sweet content is sorrow's balm. There, free from pomp and care to wait, forgetting and forgot, the will of fate.
Endless Pleasure, from Semele
George Frideric Handel. Text: William Congreve, after Ovid: Metamorphoses Act I.
Semele: Endless pleasure, endless love Semele enjoys above! On her bosom Jove reclining, useless now his thunder lies; to her arms his bolts resigning, and his lightning to her eyes. Endless pleasure, etc.
Poveri fiori, from Adriana Lecouvreur
Francesco Cilea (1866-1950). Text: Arturo Colautti (1851-1914).
Poveri fiori,
gemme di' prati,
pur ieri nati,
oggi morenti, quai giuramenti
d'infido cor!
L'ultimo bacio
o il bacio primo
ecco v'imprimo,
soave e forte,
bacio di morte,
bacio d'amor.
Tutto è finito!
Col vostro olezzo
muoia il disprezzo:
con vio d'un giorno
senza ritorno
cessi l'error!
Tutto è finito!
Poor flowers, the jewels of the meadow, born only yesterday, today you are dying, like the promises of a faithless heart! Now I give you the first kiss, or the last, sweet and strong, the kiss of death, the kiss of love, It's all over! The scorn dies with your perfume: Let the mistake of one day die with you, never to return. It's all over.
O mio babbino caro, from Gianni Schicchi
Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924). Text: Giovacchino Forzano (1883-1970).
O mio babbino caro,
mi piace, è bello, bello;
vo' andare in Porta Rossa
a comperar l'annello!
Sì, sì, ci voglio andare!
E se l'amassi indarno,
andrei sul Ponte Vecchio,
ma per buttarmi in Arno!
Mi struggo e mi tormento!
O dio, vorrei morir!
Babbo, pietà, pietà!
Babbo, pietà, pietà!
Oh, dear daddy, I like him, he's handsome, he's handsome; I want to go to Porta Rossa to buy the ring! Yes, yes, I want to go there! And if it's useless to love him, I'll go to the Ponte Vecchio and throw myself into the Arno! I am pining, I am tortured! O God, I could die! Daddy, have pity, have pity! Daddy, have pity, have pity!
Vissi d'arte, from Tosca
Giacomo Puccini. Text: Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica.
Vissi d'arte, vissi d'amore,
non feci mai male ad anima viva!
Con man furtiva
quante miserie conobbi, aiutai.
Sempre con fè sincera
la mia preghiera ai santi tabernacoli salì.
Sempre con fè sincera,
diedi fiori agli altar.
Nell'ora del dolore,
perchè, perchè, Signore,
perchè me ne rimuneri così?
Diedi gioielli della Madonna al manto,
e diedi il canto agli astri,
al ciel, che ne ridean più belli.
Nell'ora del dolor,
perchè, perchè, Signore,
ah, perchè me rimuneri così?
I lived for art, I lived for love, I've never harmed any living soul! With a furtive hand I helped such unfortunates as I knew of. Always with sincere faith my prayers rose to holy tabernacles. Always with sincere faith I put flowers on the alter. In my hour of sorrow, why, why, O God, why do you repay me thus? I gave jewels for the Madonna's cloak and offered my song to the stars, to the heavens for their greater radiance. In my hour of sorrow, why, O God, ah, why do you repay me thus?
Apparition (1979)
George Crumb (b. 1929). Text: Walt Whitman (1819-1892).
I. The night in silence under many a star The ocean shore and the husky whispering wave whose voice I know, And the soul turning to thee O vast and well-veil'd death, And the body gratefully nestling close to thee. II. When lilacs last in the dooryard bloom'd, I mourn'd, and yet shall mourn with ever-returning spring. III. Dark mother always gliding near with soft feet. Have none chanted for thee a chant of fullest welcome? Then I chant it for thee, I glorify thee above all. I bring thee a song that when thou most indeed come, come unfalteringly. IV. Approach strong deliveress! When it is so, when thou hast taken them I joyously sing the dead. Lost in the loving floating ocean of thee. Laved in the flood of thy bliss O death. V. Come lovely and soothing death. Undulate round the world, serenely arriving, arriving, In the day, in the night, to all, to each. Sooner or later delicate death. VI. The night in silence under many a star The ocean shore and the husky whispering wave whose voice I know, And the soul turning to thee O vast and well-veil'd death, And the body gratefully nestling close to thee.
Ständchen / Serenade
From Sechs Gedichte aus dem Liederbuch eines Malers, Op. 36, No. 2. Robert Alexander Schumann (1810-1856). Text: Robert Reinick (1805-1852)
Komm in die stille Nacht!
Liebchen, was zögerst du?
Sonne ging längst zur Ruh',
Welt schloß die Augen zu,
Rings nur einzig die Liebe wacht!
Liebchen, was zögerst du?
Schon sind die Sterne hell,
Schon ist der Mond zur Stell',
Eilen so schnell, so schnell!
Liebchen, ach Liebchen, drum eil' auch du.
Einzig die Liebe wacht,
Ruft dich allüberall.
Hör die Nachtigall,
Hör meiner Stimme Schall,
Liebchen, o komm in die stille Nacht!
Come to me in the silent night! My dear, what makes you hesitate? The sun has long since gone to rest, the world has closed its eyes, around us only Love is awake! My dear, what makes you hesitate? Already the stars are bright, Already the moon is in its place, hurrying quickly, so quickly! My dear, ah my dear, you must also therefore hurry! Love alone is awake, calling to you above all others. Hear the nightingale, hear my voice's call; my dear, o come to me in the silent night!
Mondnacht / Moonlit night
From Liederkreis, Op. 39, No 5. Robert Alexander Schumann. Text: Joseph von Eichendorff (1788-1857)
Es war, als hätt' der Himmel
die Erde still geküßt,
daß sie im Blütenschimmer
von ihm nur träumen müßt.
Die Luft ging durch die Felder,
die Ähren wogten sacht,
es rauschten leis die Wälder,
so sternklar war die Nacht.
Und meine Seele spannte
weit ihre Flügel aus,
flog durch die stillen Lande,
als flöge sie nach Haus.
It was as if the sky had silently kissed the earth, leaving her to dream of him in the shimmering light of the flowers. The breeze blew over the fields, the ears of corn waved gently, and the forest murmured softly on a night clear and starry. And my soul spread its wings and stretched them wide and flew through the quiet land as if flying home.
Hauptmanns Weib / The Captain's Lady, Op. 25, No. 19
Robert Alexander Schumann. Text: Robert Burns, translated by Wilhelm Gerhard.
Hoch zu Pferd!
Stahl auf zartem Leibe,
Helm und Schwert
Ziemen Hauptmanns Weibe.
Tönet Trommelschlag
Unter Pulverdampf,
Siehst du blut'gen Tag
Und dein Lieb im Kampf.
Schlagen wir den Feind,
Küssest du den Gatten,
Wohnst mit ihm vereint
In des Friedens Schatten.
Mount your horse! Steel across your tender body, Helmet and sword Become a captain's lady. When the drums beat And the powder smokes, You'll behold a bloody day And your love in battle. When the foe is vanquished, You'll kiss your husband, You'll live united with him In the shadow of peace.
Hochländisches Wiegenlied / Highland Lullaby, Op. 25, No. 14
Robert Alexander Schumann. Text: Robert Burns, translated to German by Wilhelm Gerhard.
Schlafe, süsser, kleiner Donald,
Ebenbild des grossen Ronald!
Wer ihm kleinen Dieb gebar,
Weiss der edle Clan aufs Haar.
Schelm, hast Äuglein schwarz wie Kohlen!
Wenn du gross bist, stiehl ein Fohlen;
Geh' die Eb'ne ab und zu,
Bringe heim ‘ne Carlisle Kuh!
Darfst in Niederland nicht fehlen;
Dort, mein Bübchen, magst du stehlen;
Stiehl dir Geld und stiehl dir Glück,
Und ins Hochland komm zurück!
Sleep, sweet kittle Donald, The very image of great Ronald! Our noble chief knows all too well Who conceived with him the little thief. You little rogue, you've coal-black eyes! When you grow up, you'll steal a foal, You'll travel the country up and down, And bring home a Carlisle cow! Make sure that you go to the Lowlands There, my boy, you may steal; Steal money and steal happiness And to the Highlands come home to me!
Er ist's! / Spring it is!, Op. 79, No. 23
Robert Alexander Schumann. Text: Eduard Mörike; Trans. 1976 George Bird & Richard Stokes.
Frühling läßt sein blaues Band
Wieder flattern durch die Lüfte;
Süße, wohlbekannte Düfte
Streifen ahnungsvoll das Land.
Veilchen träumen schon,
Wollen balde kommen.
Horch, von fern ein leiser Harfenton!
Frühling, ja du bist's!
Dich hab ich vernommen!
Spring lets its blue ribbon flutter once more in the breeze; sweet, familiar fragrance drifts portentous through the land. Violets are dreaming, soon will be here. Hark, softly, from afar, a harp! Yes, Spring, it is you! I have caught your sound!
Stille Tränen / Silent tears, from Zwölf Lieder (1840), Op. 35, No. 10
Robert Alexander Schumann. Text: Justinus (Andreas Christian) Kerner (1786-1862).
Du bist vom Schlaf erstanden
Und wandelst durch die Au.
Da liegt ob allen Landen
Der Himmel wunderblau.
So lang du ohne Sorgen
Geschlummert schmerzenlos,
Der Himmel bis zum Morgen
Viel Tränen niedergoß.
In stillen Nächten weinet
Oft mancher aus dem Schmerz,
Und morgens dann ihr meinet,
Stets fröhlich sei sein Herz.
You have risen from sleep and are wandering through the meadow. There lies over all the land Heaven's wondrous blue. As long as, free from cares, you've been slumbering without pain, Heaven has, since morning, shed many tears. In silent nights, many weep from pain, and in the morning you assume their hearts are always light.
© 2003-2005
The University of Iowa Center for Macular Degeneration
Contact Information