Zack: Right! I mean, there is more craziness, both dramatic and musical, in literally any opera than there is on this album. Seth: Which points to the essential conservatism of this material, in a weird way. It’s not like she’s singing Pissed Jeans here. And there’s a corollary lesson here with the “indie rock” songs she’s elected to perform on “Dark Hope.” They’re all very NPR-safe. Zack: Yes, and I think she resonates with the kind of opera that appeals to a lot of people-very professional, very smooth, nothing’s going to trouble your sleep, nothing is going to come across as weird or intense. She’s been very well marketed to the lay audience. Lounging on jazz recordings with Brad Mehldau. Seth: But then there are people for whom she is the ONLY point of reference in American opera. But older, for instance, than the Arcade Fire. Zack: Right, we had some disagreement about that performance, but no one is disputing that she is an attractive stage presence. Seth: Which… I’m not immune to? I thought she was convincingly sexy as the Marschallin earlier this season? She is now going for June-Cleaver-As-MILF. Seth: A June Cleaver who wants to also be a Vogue cover girl, weirdly? Zack: People view her as, like, the June Cleaver of opera. Yes, ‘Depuis le jour’ is about remembering your first sexual encounter, but it shouldn’t sound as if you still have a throatful of cum.” But yes, there is also a large class of those who love to h8: Boring! Terrible diction! Awful mannerisms! Scooping up to notes, consistently singing flat… This is one sample review from a website in the late 90s: “Renee Fleming is a MESS. Zack: Well I should preface by saying that there are many in the opera world who have deep respect and love for Renee. And do those objections also apply here? Or is it a totally different kettle of beans, etc.? Seth: Well-explain for the readers what it is about Renee that bothers some in the opera set. Zack: Yeah, it has that Renee Fleming way of sort of melting into your ear and then immediately hardening there. Zack: I’m hungover, and “Dark Hope” is not helping. How is it? Seth Colter Walls and Zachary Woolfe discuss the album and the artist, who it might appeal to and what it means for opera. Soprano Renee Fleming, “one of the most beloved and celebrated musical ambassadors of our time,” according to her website, has just released Dark Hope, a collection of pop covers of songs by groups such as Arcade Fire, Death Cab for Cutie and Leonard Cohen.
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