Table Of ContentContents Acknowledgments vii Introduction xi chapter one family 1 chapter two education 16 chapter three apprenticeship 34 chapter four mentors 56 chapter five success 74 chapter six challenge 96 chapter seven business 111 chapter eight longevity 135 chapter nine image 156 chapter ten performance 174 chapter eleven roles 183 chapter twelve backstage 203 chapter thirteen coda 219
SynopsisBlessed with one of the most beautiful voices of her generation, soprano Renée Fleming is one of the most celebrated talents on today's music scene. In The Inner Voice , this great singer shares what she has learned from her experience as an inspiration for those contemplating a career in the arts. From struggling to get a career under way to dealing with her own personal doubts, Fleming is wonderfully candid and articulate about her art--especially the little discussed heart-throat-mind connection--and childhood influences, formal education, mentors, preparation, and mental and physical discipline. Here is a look at the real life of an artist today, a life confronted by the loneliness of touring, the need for resilience, the desire for creativity in the face of overwhelming commercial pressures, coping with business issues, and, most important, balancing personal and professional fulfillment. The Inner Voice adds its distinctive voice to works such as Eudora Welty's One Writer's Beginnings and Uta Hagen's Respect for Acting, teaching by example and the hard-won human lessons all artists must learn. It will be eagerly awaited not only by her legion of fans, but will also be required reading for anyone contemplating a career in the arts.