There’s no denying it, this is one beautiful voice. Renée Fleming possesses an instrument that is at once powerful, radiant, lush in the mid-range and amazingly clear on top. And she uses it brilliantly, gliding and soaring through all 14 items on this verismo-heavy collection. The saccharine strains of “O mio babbino caro” ease us into the disc, with Fleming’s gossamer pianissimo high notes and silken tone establishing her Puccini credentials in this, as well as the Madame Butterfly, Boheme, and Turandot arias. The two selections from Manon continue the excellence of her recently released complete recording of Massenet’s Thaïs. Other highlights include a soulful rendition of Micaëla’s aria, and Fleming’s joyously vibrant “Ah! Je veux vivre” from Gounod’s Romeo et Juliette. However, Casta Diva is the prize of the disc — here Fleming’s vocal purity and stunning dynamic control are simply astonishing, making for some breathtaking moments. The recital concludes with Hélène’s aria from Verdi’s Sicilian Vespers, beautifully sung in the original French. These last two items feature the fine contribution of the London Voices, and the entire program is expertly accompanied by Charles Mackerras and the London Philharmonic.
The sound, I’m afraid, is the fly in the ointment. The engineering, as with so many of these “star” recitals, seems more geared to the pop audience than to the serious classical listener, with Fleming’s voice too close and not in a realistic perspective with the orchestra. Listening to even a few minutes of her Thaïs recording gives a much better idea of what this singer sounds like in a real hall.
