Since the beginning of this season I have had the rare experience of enjoying two of the world’s most iconic voices. The first one was enjoyed from the podium in a spectacular Gala concert at the ESO in early September. The second one re-entered my life just last night at a concert in the lovely renovated State Theater in Downtown Minneapolis, with myself residing in beautiful seats in row 7, dead center. My, it’s going to be hard to choose a winner.
I can remember clearly when the fabulous Artistic Administrator in Edmonton whispered to me “we got Renée!” A big old grin came across my face and I found another chance to redeem myself. 25 years ago, when I was an upperclass twit at the Eastman School of Music, I got roped into filling in for some vocal rep class or something like that. Memory is hazy. What I do recall quite clearly though is that this charming young lady walked up to the piano and said “Hi, I’m Renée.” I was like “yeah, your Renée, whatever, where’s your music.” She handed me music, I played the intro, and suddenly this voice appeared.
Honestly, I was dumbstruck. I completely blew the next couple of bars, and I remember her glancing over at me with the “what are you doing?” look on her face before I got it back together. It was obvious to me, and to everyone around during that time, that this young lady was heading towards a major career. And what a career it has turned out to be – is there anyone out there who doesn’t know the glorious voice of Renée Fleming? If so, what rock have you been living under?
So on 11 September I found myself sharing a stage with her again, this time as a conductor. Apart from the fact that she has an absolutely glorious voice she is a complete dear, and that’s what really comes across from the stage. She quite immediately had the ESO audience eating out of her hands and I doubt there was anyone that night who left unsatisfied. Here’s a picture of ourselves with the fabulous composer John Estacio (check out his music if you don’t know him).
Then, about last night – I mentioned this concert I wanted to go to to my wife a few weeks ago. Her response was “who?” Never a good sign. I got back from Halifax on Friday and she says “do you know that this guy is playing at the State on Tuesday?” Jen and I have this long history of selective hearing which is one of the reasons we are avid SCUBA divers (long story). Suddenly I was commanded to come up with tickets. That, of course, is what the internet is for.
Last night, along with 1,300 of our closest friends, we stood and cheered as the hippest nerd in the world walked out on stage. Dressed completely in white along with his band, sporting that classic haircut, David Byrne starts tearing into one of the best sets of music I’ve heard in many, many years. This concert was part of a tour in support of his new collaboration with the great producer Brian Eno titled “Everything That Happens Will Happen Today.”
For those of you who definitely need to get out from under the aforementioned rock Brian Eno is probably the most influential producer of Rock-related music of the past 35 years. A short list of his collaborators: Robert Fripp, King Crimson, Peter Gabriel, Genesis, U2, Devo, Depeche Mode, David Bowie, Paul Simon, John Cale, Coldplay, etc., etc. His work with Byrne and Talking Heads in the late ’70s/early ’80s is amongst the most influential music ever produced. The concert was a retrospectus of the Byrne/Eno collaborations.
Frankly, it was astounding. I heard music I never thought I would hear live: excerpts from the groundbreaking sample recording My Life in the Bush of Ghosts, songs from the Twylla Tharp ballet The Catherine Wheel, music from The Knee Plays, as well as most of Remain In Light and a chunck from Fear of Music. The poor security guards just completely gave up trying to prevent us from dancing in the aisles. Pardon the pun, but he was definitely Byrne-ing Down the House! And throughout it was that fabulous voice so suitable for everything from simple ballads through I Zimbra. What a fantastic show. The audience demanded 3 sets of encores.
Two concerts, two iconic voices, bringing out the best in their audiences. One had them dancing in the aisles, the other dancing in the mind. Now if only Led Zeppelin would come on tour……