Renée Fleming Essentials

Renée Fleming is one of the world's leading Strauss singers: her creamy, rich voice might have been made for this music (Der Rosenkavalier, Capriccio, Ariadne auf Naxos, and Arabella have all featured in her repertoire). But she made her name in Mozart before Sir Georg Solti helped boost her to international stardom. Much recorded, she's as happy singing bel canto roles as modern American operas (she created the role of Blanche in André Previn's A Streetcar Named Desire). A charismatic recitalist, she can communicate like few others—as shown with her appearance on Sesame Street.