Renée Fleming, Barbican

Following in the heels of Yuja Wang and Joyce DiDonato, the soprano Renée Fleming has been chosen for the Barbican’s 2015/6 Artist Spotlight series, appearing three times through the season. Although the Barbican remain so far tight-lipped about the exact programmes of these performances, they are likely to be amongst the year’s highlights.

Often dubbed ‘the people’s diva’ for her approachability and commitment to her local region of New York, Fleming is a genuine genre-hopping musical superstar. She has won four Grammys, and released popular albums of both jazz and indie rock covers; critics have noted the astounding versatility of her voice. As a fixture of the operatic stage, she is adored for her impeccable technical control and ability to effortlessly create drama.

Fleming will first perform on 5^th February 2016, alongside the BBC Symphony Orchestra. Although the full set has yet to be announced, it will feature the UK premiere of Anders Hillborg’s The Strand Settings, a song cycle written especially for Fleming’s voice. It will also include Robin Holloway’s orchestral arrangement of Debussy’s stately chanson C’est l’extase. The next afternoon, at the Milton Court Concert Hall, Fleming will lead an open masterclass with students from the Guildhall School of Music. Finally, on the 6^th of April, she will return to the Barbican proper for a century-spanning evening of lieder, including works by Schumann and Strauss.