Perfection often creates such a flawless surface that there's no place for the audience to enter into a piece, while the idiosyncrasies of individual style are like windows into the singer's heart. Renee Fleming More Quotes by Renee Fleming More Quotes From Renee Fleming While it's a fact that a voice begins with natural talent, any talent must be nurtured, cajoled, wrestled with pampered, challenged, and, at every turn, examined. Renee Fleming natural-talent voice facts Your brain has a music room, and evolution would not have gone to the trouble of designing that if it didn't have some benefits. So, that suggests to me that we and our ancestors have had music as a central part of our experience for eons. And we're just beginning to understand how that might be. I think that's fascinating. Renee Fleming design brain thinking I haven't really been able to transfer into that extraordinarily other worldly creature, other than I hope on stage. Renee Fleming transfers stage able I cannot imagine a more satisfying calling than my own: beauty, humanity, and history every day, combined with the cathartic joy of singing. Renee Fleming singing humanity joy Music enabled me as a fragile young person to give voice to emotions I could barely name, and how it enables me to give my voice the unique and mysterious power to speak to others. Renee Fleming voice unique names I've always been inspired by artists who have shown musical and intellectual curiosity and the courage to take risks. Renee Fleming risk intellectual artist Being steeped in the process of learning and exploring keeps me from becoming too nervous. Partly it's about not getting bored. Renee Fleming nervous bored becoming Very few opera singers in history have been able to cross into popular music. Renee Fleming opera singers able I don't like to sing loud. Renee Fleming loud I enjoy the more floaty, exposed, elegant singing. Renee Fleming exposed enjoy singing I would love to do more private concerts. Renee Fleming concerts I'm lucky - I can do two things at once. Renee Fleming lucky can-do two I was constantly being pushed toward a European ideal of what it means to be a classical or opera singer, let's say in the Renata Tebaldi mode. I reject that. Renee Fleming opera singers mean I'm American. I'm eclectic. I'm going to follow my musical passions. And if people don't like it, and it hurts my legacy, I'm not going to worry about that. Renee Fleming passion hurt people My worry is that opera will become an historic art form as opposed to a living, breathing thing. Renee Fleming breathing worry art I do everything in the third person. Performance is about being someone else. Renee Fleming third-person thirds performances I want to get out of the major opera houses. Renee Fleming opera house want Having to travel so much plays havoc with your personal life. Renee Fleming havoc personal-life play I have a certain image that's more classic, and I'm happy to stay out of the fray. Renee Fleming fray classic certain I have had a very difficult time with stage fright; it undermines your well-being and peace of mind, and it can also threaten your livelihood. Renee Fleming difficult-times stage mind