Spotlight on Renée Fleming

Renée Fleming is no stranger to Lyric Opera of Chicago. While the Grammy Award-winning soprano has performed at every major opera house around the world, on the soundtracks of Oscar-winning films, and even at the Super Bowl, we have been proud to call her a member of the Lyric family for more than 30 years.

In 1993, Fleming made her Lyric debut in Carlisle Floyd’s Susannah, and captured the hearts of audiences. Since then, she has appeared in nine roles, most recently as Hanna Glawari in The Merry Widow (2015/16 Season), and as Countess Madeleine in Capriccio (2014/15 Season). In addition, she has participated in more than ten Lyric concerts and recitals — most recently, Kevin Puts's The Brightness of Light with baritone Rod Gilfry (2022/23 Season). This season, she brings her stunning solo recital Voice of Nature: The Anthropocene to Lyric for one night only, Thursday, February 5.

While Fleming has countless operatic roles underneath her belt, the five-time Grammy Award-winner has also successfully branched out into the world of musical theater. She made her Broadway debut in 2015 in Living on Love. Next, she was seen as Margaret Johnson in Adam Guettel and Craig Lucas’ The Light in the Piazza, which premiered in London, Los Angeles, and at the Lyric Opera House in December 2019. Fleming also received a Tony Award nomination for the 2018 revival of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel, for her role as Nettie Fowler. 

At Lyric, Fleming has been an active leader in reaching and developing new audiences. She has served as a longtime advisor to The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center, as well as a former Community Ambassador to Lyric’s Learning and Creative Engagement department. Fleming was named Lyric’s first Creative Consultant in December 2010 and is an honorary member of the Women’s Board.

Over the years, Fleming has been a driving force behind many of Lyric’s most exciting projects. In 2012, she brought about the company’s first collaboration with The Second City as well as the multi-year Chicago Voices initiative. In 2015, she curated the world premiere opera Bel Canto (López/Cruz) from its inception. The multi-genre Chicago Voices Gala and Bel Canto were both seen by national audiences as Lyric returned to PBS’s Great Performances after more than 20 years. Most recently, Fleming served as curator for parts of Lyric's 2023/24 world premiere of Proximity, continuing the company's legacy of commissioning new works.

While her performance record is outstanding, her advocacy for the world of music is an accomplishment that should also not be forgotten. In 2013, she was awarded the National Medal of Arts by President Obama for being an advocate of the arts.

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, Fleming launched “Music and Mind LIVE”, a weekly series with guest experts focusing on the intersectionality of music, neuroscience, and healthcare. Her interest in the subject inspired her latest book, Music and Mind: Harnessing the Arts for Health and Wellness, published in 2024, as well as scientific research grants funded by The Renée Fleming Foundation and NeuroArts Blueprint.

Fleming has also collaborated with the National Institutes of Health in her former role as Artistic Advisor at Large to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts to further explore those topics with the Sound Health initiative. Fleming also serves on the board of Sing for Hope, a New York City-based non-profit dedicated to increasing access to high-quality art programs in under-served communities and is an Artistic Advisor of the Polyphony Foundation, building bridges between Arab and Jewish children in Isreal through classical music.

The soprano’s vocal talent and artistry is beyond impressive, but Fleming’s commitment to advocating the importance of music and her continued service to the community demonstrates the lasting impact she will have on the world of music.

Experience one of opera's greatest voices when Renée Fleming returns to the Lyric stage on February 5 in a program based on her 2023 Grammy-winning Best Classical Vocal Solo Album, Voice of Nature: The Anthropocene. Created in partnership with the National Geographic Society, the recital blends classic Romantic Era works with contemporary works in a program that captures the evolution of the human experience in nature. Tickets are available now as part of subscription packages of 4 or more operas.