Rene Fleming. 7 Nov 2003. Concert conducted by Daniele Gatti, with music by Wagner, Strauss and Bruckner. American soprano Fleming makes a rare appearance in Italy. Bolognas Teatro Comunale stages an interesting concert before its opera season opens. Conducted by Daniele Gatti, it stars the American soprano Rene Fleming, with music by Wagner, Strauss and Bruckner (7 Nov). Flemings appearances in Italy are rare. With her beautiful voice and strong personality she moves easily from a 19th-century to a modern repertoire, and in Bologna she will perform the last four lieder of Richard Strauss. Written in 1948 they represent his spiritual testament, his reflections on death but also a homage to late Romanticism. The presence of Gatti is another guarantee of the quality of this performance. He is particularly sensitive to modern repertoire, as demonstrated by his exceptional rendering of Wozzeck in Rome recently, which he conducted without a score.

Paolo di Nicola