Renée Fleming, one of the best-loved and versatile sopranos of the late 20th and early 21st centuries, has been described as "the people's diva," and perhaps comes closer than any other singer of her time to being an old-fashioned operatic superstar. Her wise repertoire decisions have allowed her to embrace a wide variety of works throughout her career, including Baroque opera, Mozart, the Italian bel canto repertoire, Verdi, Massenet, Puccini, Richard Strauss, a number of contemporary operas, and songs from all eras. Her voice is notable for its fullness, warmth, its creamy tone quality, and her ability to spin out long velvety legato lines. She is known for the intensity and integrity of her dramatic portrayals and her engaging stage presence.
Fleming's parents were high school vocal music teachers. In 1981, she graduated from the State University of New York at Potsdam with a degree in music education and continued her musical studies at the Eastman School of Music, which she credits with giving her a strong academic and theoretical background. From 1983 to 1987, she was enrolled in the American Opera Center at Juilliard, where she met Beverley Johnston, the voice teacher with whom she would continue to study throughout her career. Fleming also recalls with admiration the year she spent studying lieder with Arleen Augér, on a Fulbright Scholarship. In 1988, she won the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and the George London Prize (in the same week), and the Eleanor McCollum Competition in Houston.
Fleming sang the Countess in Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro at the Houston Grand Opera in 1988, made her New York City Opera debut in 1989 as Mimi in La bohème, and her Covent Garden debut as Glauce in Cherubini's Medea later that year. In 1991, she made her acclaimed Met debut, stepping in for an indisposed Felicity Lott as the Countess in The Marriage of Figaro. The Countess was her debut role in San Francisco (1991), Vienna State Opera (1993), and Glyndebourne (1994). In 1993, she made her debut at La Scala as Donna Elvira, and she sang Eva at the 1996 Bayreuth Festival. Since that time, she has continued performances at the world's leading opera houses and concert halls and has continued to expand her repertoire. Among the roles for which she has won acclaim are Handel's Alcina and Rodelinda; Rossini's Armida, Violetta, Manon, Thaïs, Tatyana, and Rusalka; and numerous roles in Strauss operas, including the Marschallin, Daphne, Arabella, and the Countess in Capriccio. She created the role of Rosina in Corigliano's The Ghosts of Versailles in 1991, Madame Tourvel in Conrad Susa's Dangerous Liaisons in 1994, and Blanche DuBois in André Previn's A Streetcar Named Desire in 1998.
She has garnered praise for her many recordings, both on CD and DVD, and has been nominated for 12 Grammy Awards and has won three, in 1996, 1999, and 2010. In addition to her work in the classical repertoire, Fleming has recorded contemporary pop songs, jazz, and film soundtracks. She has hosted a number of television and radio broadcasts, including The Metropolitan Opera's Live in HD series, and Live from Lincoln Center for PBS. Her honors include Sweden’s Polar Prize (2008), the Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur from the French government (2005), Honorary Membership in the Royal Academy of Music (2003), and a 2003 Honorary Doctorate from the Juilliard School.
Ebben...Ne andro lontana
Renée Fleming Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Come va l'eco pia campana,
Là fra la neve bianca;
Là fra le nubi d'or;
Laddóve la speranza, la speranza
È rimpianto, è rimpianto, è dolor!
O della madre mia casa gioconda
Lontana assai, e forse a te,
E forse a te, non farà mai più ritorno,
Nè più la rivedrai!
Mai più, mai più!
Ne andrò sola e lontana,
Là, fra la neve bianca, n'andrò,
N'andrò sola e lontana
E fra le nubi d'or!
Ebben! Ne andrò lontana
Come va l'eco pia campana,
Là fra la neve bianca;
Là fra le nubi d'or;
Laddóve la speranza, la speranza
È rimpianto, è rimpianto, è dolor!
O della madre mia casa gioconda
La Wally ne andrà da te, da te!
Lontana assai, e forse a te,
E forse a te, non farà mai più ritorno,
Nè più la rivedrai!
Mai più, mai più!
Ne andrò sola e lontana,
Come l'eco della pia campana,
Là, fra la neve bianca, n'andrò,
N'andrò sola e lontana
E fra le nubi d'or!
The song "Ebben...Ne andrò lontana" is sung by the singer Wally in the first act of Alfredo Catalani's opera "La Wally." The words of the song describe Wally's decision to leave her home and live in isolation in the mountains. She compares her departure to the sound of a distant church bell echoing in the mountains, and she imagines herself surrounded by white snow and golden clouds. Despite her surroundings' beauty, Wally is consumed by regret and pain, thinking of her past hopes and experiences that she left behind. She knows that she will likely never return to her joyful childhood home and feels resigned to a life of isolation.
The lyrics of this song convey the intense emotions that Wally is experiencing. She is faced with the difficult decision of leaving her home and moving on to a new and uncertain future. The breathtaking imagery that Wally uses to describe her surroundings creates a sense of grandeur, but it is also contrasted with feelings of sadness and despair. The song's title – "Ebben! Ne andrò lontana"– is often translated to mean "Well then! I'll go far away." The Italian word "Ebben" signals a sense of finality and obstinacy, indicating Wally's determination to go through with her decision, even if it causes her pain.
Overall, "Ebben…Ne andrò lontana" is a poignant song that beautifully captures the complexity of human emotions, and it has become one of the most popular and widely performed operatic arias.
Line by Line Meaning
Ebben! Ne andrò lontana
Well then! I'll go far away
Come va l'eco pia campana
Like the sound of a sweet bell
Là fra la neve bianca
There, among the white snow
Là fra le nubi d'or
There, among golden clouds
Laddóve la speranza, la speranza
Where there is hope, hope
È rimpianto, è rimpianto, è dolor!
Is sorrow, is sorrow, is pain!
O della madre mia casa gioconda
Oh, of my happy home
La Wally ne andrà da te, da te!
Wally will go far away from you, from you!
Lontana assai, e forse a te,
Very far away, and maybe to you,
E forse a te, non farà mai più ritorno,
And maybe to you, she'll never return
Nè più la rivedrai!
And you'll never see her again!
Mai più, mai più!
Never again, never again!
Ne andrò sola e lontana,
I'll go alone and far away
Là, fra la neve bianca, n'andrò,
There, among the white snow, I'll go
N'andrò sola e lontana
I'll go alone and far away
E fra le nubi d'or!
And among golden clouds!
Writer(s): A. Catalani, Alfredo
Contributed by Vivian S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Ałena Danziger
1:45 & 1:54 & 2:06 3:02 "ahaha, quite intresting a kind of nasal and snotty belcanto"
0:30 & 2:02 & 2:08 & 2:34 & 3:16 & 3:24 she urgently needs an oxygen mask!
0:43 gasping for breath aaah-aaaeeeh... my mu-si-caaa-li-ty...
2:42 no words
3:04 & 3:29 unnatural fake chest notes, damn!
3:09 spit porridge out of your mouth!
3:48 I'm sorry, what??? ahaha) she is a very-very overrated pop-opera microphone-singer, what a SHAME
La Divina... La Regina of... SNOTTY "BELCANTO", "brava-bravissima"!
- "O, Madonna santissima..."
- "Ma per l'amor di Dio!!!!"
- "Corpo d'un Dio santissimo!!!!
- "E'una vergogna!!! Shame on you!!!!"
- "You have no ears, no eyes! Noooothing at all!"
(c) Arturo Toscanini
https://youtu.be/tg5GPaUJ3aw
lginpdx
I first heard this performed by Wilhelmenia Fernandez and I am still partial to her interpretation. That said, this performance is equally as moving and dramatic, and beautifully sung.
kevin yates
Achingly beautiful rendition of this. With maturity now, her voice is especially mving. Bravo Rene
gruntyboy
One of those very few beautiful moments when music and art actually bring you to tears...
TheWiseMonkey8888
@greg55666 3:33...
greg55666
Few?
Saiyan Knight
In love with this magnificent piece for a very long time! It’s so beautiful and touching. ❤️
Roza Tulyaganova
Fantastic!!!!! Love love love her! One of the best singer now days!
Brendan Sheehan
Her voice is a gift from God or a power beyond my comprehension. I am truly grateful she shares it with the world.
Pete Cane
Now here is a woman who can portray emotion in song.
Renato Barbieri
Renée , o Brasil te ama , fantástica 💟💟💟💟💟💟