Along with the death of classical, jazz, rock, hip hop, et al., is even crossover (or at least the critical angst surrounding it) dead? Maybe it’s headed that way.
Then again, maybe not.
Based on the interest Renée Fleming/Dark Hope is churning up, I’m thinking this patient is still breathing. But in a way, that’s kind of the hook, right? More than anything, people are in a lather to find out what she actually sounds like when doing this new thing she’s doing, whether whatever that turns out to be is any good or not. People want to listen actively and talk about what they hear. (My personal vote for most illuminating review so far: It didn’t need to suck–and here’s why.)
In this case, at least, it was actually a repertoire risk by a “classical institution” that, whatever you think of how it came off, got rewarded with lots of attention and passionate discussion. Something in there for the r/evolution perhaps…
Cross-over seems to work best when classical artists use popular material but perform it in their own classical style. The fun is hearing Pavarotti sing pop but sound like Pavarotti. When classical singers affect popular performance practices they usually just sound unauthentic and stilted — as is the case here. I would like to hear Flemming do pieces usually done by pop divas like Barbara Streisand, Celine Dion, and Whitney Houston, but belt them out with her own extraordinary voice and style. People would buy a lot of that kind of CD and the crtics would love it too. I hope she’ll try again.