Renée Fleming facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Renée Fleming
Fleming in 2010
Born	(1959-02-14) February 14, 1959 (age 66) Indiana, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Education	State University of New York, Potsdam (BM) University of Rochester (MM) Juilliard School (GrDip)
Occupation	Singer (lyric soprano), actress, arts advocate
Spouse(s)	Rick Ross ​ ​ (m. 1989; div. 2000)​ Tim Jessell ​ (m. 2011)​
Children	2

Renée Lynn Fleming (born February 14, 1959) is a famous American singer and actress. She is known for her amazing performances in opera, concerts, and even movies. Renée has won five Grammy Awards and was honored with the National Medal of Arts. In December 2023, she also received the prestigious Kennedy Center Honors.

Renée Fleming has a beautiful and powerful voice, called a "lyric soprano." She sings in many languages, including Italian, German, French, and Russian. She has also performed new music written just for her by famous composers. In 2008, she made history as the first woman to headline the opening night gala at the Metropolitan Opera (the Met) in 125 years!

Beyond opera, Renée has explored many types of music. She has sung jazz, musical theater, and even indie rock. She has performed with many different artists, from Luciano Pavarotti to Sting. Renée has also acted on Broadway and recorded songs for movie soundtracks. Two of these movies, The Shape of Water and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, won the Academy Award for Best Picture. She is also the only classical singer to perform the US National Anthem at the Super Bowl. In July 2025, she directed her first opera, Mozart's Cosi fan tutte.

Renée is a strong supporter of how music and arts can help our health and brains. In May 2023, the World Health Organization named her a Goodwill Ambassador for Arts and Health. She also started awards to fund research into how arts affect the brain. In April 2024, she published a book called Music and Mind: Harnessing the Arts for Health and Wellness.

Early Life and Education

Renée Fleming was born on February 14, 1959, in Indiana, Pennsylvania. Both of her parents were music teachers. She grew up in Churchville, New York.

She studied music at the State University of New York at Potsdam and later at the Eastman School of Music. While in college, she even sang with a jazz trio. She also spent summers at the Aspen Music Festival and School, where she performed in operas like Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro. This role later became one of her most famous.

In 1985, Renée won a Fulbright Scholarship, which allowed her to study music in Europe. She also sang in jazz clubs to help pay for more studies at the Juilliard School, a very famous music school. She graduated from Juilliard in 1986.

Career Highlights

Starting Her Professional Journey

Renée Fleming began her professional singing career in the 1980s. Her big break came in 1988 when she won the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. This helped her get noticed by major opera companies. That same year, she sang the Countess in The Marriage of Figaro for the first time with the Houston Grand Opera.

In 1989, she made her debut with the New York City Opera and The Royal Opera in London. She also won important awards like the Richard Tucker Career Grant.

Becoming a Star in the 1990s

In 1990, Renée received the prestigious Richard Tucker Award. She performed the main role in Rusalka for the first time with Seattle Opera. This became another one of her signature roles.

In 1991, Renée made her debut at the Met and San Francisco Opera. She stepped in to replace another singer and sang the Countess in Le nozze di Figaro. She also appeared on TV, singing with the famous tenor Luciano Pavarotti.

Throughout the 1990s, Renée performed in many major opera houses around the world. She sang in operas by composers like Mozart, Verdi, and Richard Strauss. In 1996, she signed a special recording contract with Decca, a big music label. She was the first American singer in 31 years to do so!

In 1998, she created the role of Blanche DuBois in the new opera A Streetcar Named Desire. Her CD, The Beautiful Voice, won her a Grammy Award in 1999.

The 2000s and Beyond

Fleming, April 2008

In the 2000s, Renée continued to perform in top opera houses. She sang in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King movie soundtrack in 2002, singing in a fictional language! She also went on a huge recital tour around the world.

In 2004, her first book, The Inner Voice: The Making of a Singer, was published. She even performed with Elton John in concert.

On September 22, 2008, Renée made history at the Met by being the first woman to headline their opening night. She performed parts from three of her favorite operas. This performance was even shown live on big screens in Times Square.

In 2010, she performed at the Last Night of the Proms in London, a very famous concert. She also became a Creative Consultant for the Lyric Opera of Chicago, helping to develop new ideas.

Recent Years (2011-Present)

In July 2011, Renée sang at the royal wedding of Prince Albert II of Monaco. In 2013, she sang the world premiere of The Strand Settings with the New York Philharmonic.

In 2014, she performed the role of Blanche Dubois again in A Streetcar Named Desire. Critics praised her performance, saying she was "magnificent."

In January 2015, Renée starred in the operetta The Merry Widow at the Met. In April 2015, she made her Broadway debut in a comedy called Living on Love.

Renée Fleming in NY in 2008

On May 13, 2017, Renée performed her famous role as the Marschallin in Der Rosenkavalier for the last time at the Met. She decided to focus on new roles after this.

In 2018, she was nominated for a Tony Award for her role in the Broadway revival of Carousel. She also sang "Danny Boy" at Senator John McCain's funeral.

In 2019, Renée performed in a new play called Norma Jeane Baker of Troy and starred in the London premiere of The Light in the Piazza. She also premiered a new work by composer Kevin Puts called The Brightness of Light.

In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Renée performed in a live concert at the Kennedy Center. She also launched a weekly online series called "Music and Mind LIVE," where she talked with experts about music and health.

In January 2021, she sang at a private mass for President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris. In November 2022, she returned to the Met to sing in the world premiere of Kevin Puts' opera The Hours.

Personal Life

Fleming with husband Tim Jessell

Renée Fleming has been married twice. She married Rick Ross in 1989, and they had two daughters before divorcing in 2000. On September 3, 2011, she married tax lawyer Tim Jessell.

Music and Health Advocacy

Renée Fleming speaking at NIH May 2019

Renée Fleming is a strong supporter of studying how music affects our health and brains. In 2016, she became an Artistic Advisor for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. There, she started "Sound Health," a project with the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This project brings together scientists and artists to understand how arts impact our minds and bodies. In 2019, the NIH committed $20 million to research how music can help with brain disorders.

Renée often gives talks around the world called "Music and the Mind." These talks explore the power of music and its connection to the brain. She has spoken at hospitals, universities, and arts organizations. She also won an award in 2020 for her work in raising public awareness about music, the brain, and wellness.

Philanthropy and Support

Renée Fleming uses her platform to support many good causes.

• In 2004, she performed with Elton John to raise money for music schools.
• She has supported Sing For Hope since 2006. This group brings music programs to schools, hospitals, and public places that need them.
• In 2013, she hosted a gala for Classical Action, which raises money for AIDS and family support groups.
• In 2014, she sang at a concert for the Rainforest Foundation Fund with artists like Sting and Paul Simon.
• In 2015, she sang with Andrea Bocelli at a concert to raise money for pancreatic cancer research.
• She has served on the board of trustees for Carnegie Hall, a famous concert venue.
• Renée is also on the Artistic Advisory Board of the Polyphony Foundation. This group helps bring Israeli youth together through music, creating a conservatory where Arab and Jewish students learn side-by-side.

Signature Opera Roles

Renée Fleming is famous for many opera roles. Some of her most well-known include:

• Countess Almaviva in Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro
• Desdemona in Verdi's Otello
• Violetta in Verdi's La traviata
• The main role in Dvořák's Rusalka
• The main roles in Massenet's Manon and Thaïs
• Tatyana in Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin
• The main role in Richard Strauss's Arabella
• The Marschallin in Strauss's Der Rosenkavalier
• The Countess in Strauss's Capriccio
• Blanche DuBois in André Previn's A Streetcar Named Desire

Recordings

Audio Albums

Video Recordings

Awards and Honors

President Barack Obama awards Renée Fleming the 2012 National Medal of Arts.

Images for kids

• 

  Fleming performs at We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial on January 18, 2009.

See also

In Spanish: Renée Fleming para niños