Customer Rating: 
Summary: Strauss singing at the highest level of achievement
Comment: It says something sad about the current state of opera recordings that Renee Fleming hasn't been given a complete Strauss role on disc beyond Daphne, not the Marschallin or Ariadne. As evidenced here, she is uniquely gifted to assume those roles, as well as to sing Strauss's orchestral songs. Compared to her 1995 version with Eschenbach (BMG), the new one marks a quantum leap in artistry. Fleming won a Guggenheim fellowship to study in Germany as a young singer, I believe, and her ability to find meaning in Hesse's poetry is impresive. I think only Schwarzkopf surpasses her in that regard. And Fleming can spin out a long pianissimo better than anyone since Caballe in her prime.
Thielemann is also a much finer conductor than Eschenbach. He and his soloist have crafted a thoughtful, highly nuanced interpreatation that touches the heart of the music as well as the lsitener's heart (I couldn't say that about her earlier account, where incredible vocalism was the whole show). What other reviewers call overacting is actually expressivity -- Fleming obviously feels this music deeply and has reached that blessed time in an artist's career when she can fully communicate anything she wants to. Her Ariadne excerpts are poignant and rival even Schwarzkopf in beauty.
My only criticism is that she starts a fraction off pitch and strained at the beginning of the Four Last Songs, no doubt because of the live concert setting. But soon everything is vocally in place. Contrary to what an e sour reivewr claims, there's little difference between Fleming's voice today and her voice 13 years ago. Time has been incredibly kind, and Fleming has repaid that gift by growing constantly in artistry.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Colpo di glottis galore
Comment: Since when do Richard Strauss and repeated unapologetic abuse of the colpo di glotti go together?....actually never!!!!!!!!!
Customer Rating:
Summary: A singer at the peak of her vulgar powers
Comment: Here we go again. Another terrible record from this relentlessly overhyped and marketed American product. Another bad record in poor taste from a would-be artist at the peak of her vulgar powers. It has been said before but it is worth saying again: for a modern and yet diamantine interpretation of these songs, seek out Cheryl Studer's for DGG with the late Giuseppe Sinopoli and the Staatskapelle Dresden. It is a classic. None of Fleming's sour grapes and jazz mannerisms will be heard anywhere on that classic record, guaranteed. Another modern version to recommend is Jessye Norman's, another American, albeit with some annoying slow tempi. And naturally, then there are the famous ones of yore by Gundula Janowitz and Lisa della Casa. So, given the available wealth of choices, why purchase something really subpar? And when will these record companies stop feeding us low level refuse?
Customer Rating:
Summary: Like a fine wine...
Comment: Ms. Fleming's voice develops beautifully as the years progress. I disagree with the previous reviewer who writes that he misses the voice of hers from yesteryear. That too was a phenomenal voice, but she has grown so much into the classy master of control and range we now hear. Her detail and pronounced definition shows a maturity that is simply exquisite. The orchestration is much more defined than the recording with Eschenbach from 1995. His comments about the limited edition disc 2 are quite good and very true, but all of those selections have been previously released. I am happy to hear the new Last Songs recording and be able to compare with the one from the past. Both great yet, like the progression of life, the difference is a wonder to behold. I loved it!
Customer Rating:
Summary: The Egyptian Renee
Comment: Contrary to all my expectations, Zweite Brautnacht is the strongest performance on this CD. Clearly, Fleming was inspired and excited about singing this music - astonishing even by Strauss's standards - and rose to meet its extraordinary challenges. Listen - your blood will race! Her recording of it rivals Leonie Rysanek's for beauty and intensity and easily surpasses Leontyne Price's and Deborah Voigt's. The rest of the CD may lack this perfection, but it certainly is not a return to Fleming's self-indulgent style. Just note the energetic tempos throughout - especially refreshing in September. Most of the distinctive expression here makes strong musical sense. I love what she does on zittert in Fruhling. I hope these performances of Ariadne's music and Verfuhrung show there is more to come - I'd like to hear Fruhlingsfeier and a complete Ariadne. (I tried to change my rating to five stars, but the website won't let me change it!)
For the full significance of Fleming's relationship to Strauss, don't miss her Strauss Heroines CD. I don't think anyone has ever equaled her achievement in the roles of the Marschallin, the Countess, and Arabella. Fleming's voice fits those roles (and Strauss's songs) the way Rysanek's voice fit the Empress in Die Frau ohne Schatten, the way Elisabeth Schwarzkopf's voice fit the songs of Hugo Wolf, the way Maria Callas's voice fit roles like Lady Macbeth, Anna Bolena, Armida, and others.
Summary: Strauss singing at the highest level of achievement
Comment: It says something sad about the current state of opera recordings that Renee Fleming hasn't been given a complete Strauss role on disc beyond Daphne, not the Marschallin or Ariadne. As evidenced here, she is uniquely gifted to assume those roles, as well as to sing Strauss's orchestral songs. Compared to her 1995 version with Eschenbach (BMG), the new one marks a quantum leap in artistry. Fleming won a Guggenheim fellowship to study in Germany as a young singer, I believe, and her ability to find meaning in Hesse's poetry is impresive. I think only Schwarzkopf surpasses her in that regard. And Fleming can spin out a long pianissimo better than anyone since Caballe in her prime.
Thielemann is also a much finer conductor than Eschenbach. He and his soloist have crafted a thoughtful, highly nuanced interpreatation that touches the heart of the music as well as the lsitener's heart (I couldn't say that about her earlier account, where incredible vocalism was the whole show). What other reviewers call overacting is actually expressivity -- Fleming obviously feels this music deeply and has reached that blessed time in an artist's career when she can fully communicate anything she wants to. Her Ariadne excerpts are poignant and rival even Schwarzkopf in beauty.
My only criticism is that she starts a fraction off pitch and strained at the beginning of the Four Last Songs, no doubt because of the live concert setting. But soon everything is vocally in place. Contrary to what an e sour reivewr claims, there's little difference between Fleming's voice today and her voice 13 years ago. Time has been incredibly kind, and Fleming has repaid that gift by growing constantly in artistry.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Colpo di glottis galore
Comment: Since when do Richard Strauss and repeated unapologetic abuse of the colpo di glotti go together?....actually never!!!!!!!!!
Customer Rating:
Summary: A singer at the peak of her vulgar powers
Comment: Here we go again. Another terrible record from this relentlessly overhyped and marketed American product. Another bad record in poor taste from a would-be artist at the peak of her vulgar powers. It has been said before but it is worth saying again: for a modern and yet diamantine interpretation of these songs, seek out Cheryl Studer's for DGG with the late Giuseppe Sinopoli and the Staatskapelle Dresden. It is a classic. None of Fleming's sour grapes and jazz mannerisms will be heard anywhere on that classic record, guaranteed. Another modern version to recommend is Jessye Norman's, another American, albeit with some annoying slow tempi. And naturally, then there are the famous ones of yore by Gundula Janowitz and Lisa della Casa. So, given the available wealth of choices, why purchase something really subpar? And when will these record companies stop feeding us low level refuse?
Customer Rating:
Summary: Like a fine wine...
Comment: Ms. Fleming's voice develops beautifully as the years progress. I disagree with the previous reviewer who writes that he misses the voice of hers from yesteryear. That too was a phenomenal voice, but she has grown so much into the classy master of control and range we now hear. Her detail and pronounced definition shows a maturity that is simply exquisite. The orchestration is much more defined than the recording with Eschenbach from 1995. His comments about the limited edition disc 2 are quite good and very true, but all of those selections have been previously released. I am happy to hear the new Last Songs recording and be able to compare with the one from the past. Both great yet, like the progression of life, the difference is a wonder to behold. I loved it!
Customer Rating:
Summary: The Egyptian Renee
Comment: Contrary to all my expectations, Zweite Brautnacht is the strongest performance on this CD. Clearly, Fleming was inspired and excited about singing this music - astonishing even by Strauss's standards - and rose to meet its extraordinary challenges. Listen - your blood will race! Her recording of it rivals Leonie Rysanek's for beauty and intensity and easily surpasses Leontyne Price's and Deborah Voigt's. The rest of the CD may lack this perfection, but it certainly is not a return to Fleming's self-indulgent style. Just note the energetic tempos throughout - especially refreshing in September. Most of the distinctive expression here makes strong musical sense. I love what she does on zittert in Fruhling. I hope these performances of Ariadne's music and Verfuhrung show there is more to come - I'd like to hear Fruhlingsfeier and a complete Ariadne. (I tried to change my rating to five stars, but the website won't let me change it!)
For the full significance of Fleming's relationship to Strauss, don't miss her Strauss Heroines CD. I don't think anyone has ever equaled her achievement in the roles of the Marschallin, the Countess, and Arabella. Fleming's voice fits those roles (and Strauss's songs) the way Rysanek's voice fit the Empress in Die Frau ohne Schatten, the way Elisabeth Schwarzkopf's voice fit the songs of Hugo Wolf, the way Maria Callas's voice fit roles like Lady Macbeth, Anna Bolena, Armida, and others.