♪ ANNOUNCER: SUPPORT FOR THE PBS PRESENTATION NO, PERHAPS THE MOST FAMOUS IN THE WORLD.

REN ÉE: JUST KEEP SAYING THAT.

THANK YOU.

[SINGING IN CZECH] DAVID: YOU ARE PERFORMING IN "CAROUSEL," WHICH IS NOT AN OPERA, IT'S A BROADWAY PLAY.

REN ÉE: I JUST THOUGHT, WOW, IT WOULD BE REALLY EXCITING TO DO SOMETHING NEW.

♪ WALK ON THROUGH THE HILLS ♪ DAVID: FAMOUS SOPRANOS ARE SOMETIMES LABELED AS DIVAS OR PRIMA DONNAS.

REN ÉE: I JUST COULDN'T DO IT.

I'VE NEVER BEEN GOOD AT IT.

♪ YOU'LL NEVER KNOW JUST HOW MUCH I MISS YOU ♪ DAVID: YOU'VE DONE BROADWAY, YOU'VE DONE OPERA.

IS THERE SOMETHING YOU HAVEN'T DONE THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO?

REN ÉE: I DON'T THINK I HAVE A WISH LIST.

WHAT I DO HAVE IS AN OPEN MIND AND A BELIEF IN THE FUTURE.

[SINGING IN CZECH] WOMAN: WOULD YOU FIX YOUR TIE, PLEASE?

DAVID: WELL, PEOPLE WOULDN'T RECOGNIZE ME IF MY TIE WAS FIXED, BUT OK. [WOMAN CHUCKLES] WOMAN: THEN LEAVE IT.

DAVID: JUST LEAVE IT THIS WAY.

ALL RIGHT.

♪ I DON'T CONSIDER MYSELF A JOURNALIST, AND NOBODY ELSE WOULD CONSIDER MYSELF A JOURNALIST.

I BEGAN TO TAKE ON THE LIFE OF BEING AN INTERVIEWER, EVEN THOUGH I HAVE A DAY JOB OF RUNNING A PRIVATE EQUITY FIRM.

HOW DO YOU DEFINE LEADERSHIP?

WHAT IS IT THAT MAKES SOMEBODY TICK?

YOU ARE PERFORMING IN "CAROUSEL," WHICH IS NOT AN OPERA, IT'S A BROADWAY PLAY.

WHY ARE YOU DOING THAT AND NOT OPERA?

REN ÉE: I JUST THOUGHT, WOW, IT WOULD BE REALLY EXCITING TO DO SOMETHING NEW.

I'VE ALWAYS LOVED DOING NEW THINGS.

IT'S JUST BEEN AN EXTRAORDINARY EXPERIENCE.

I'M THE KIND OF PERSON THAT IF I WERE TO SAY NO FOR ANY NUMBER OF REASONS, I WOULD ALWAYS WONDER WHAT IF.

AND SO RATHER THAN WONDERING, I TYPICALLY JUMP IN.

DAVID: SO OPERA IS USUALLY TWO OR 3 NIGHTS A WEEK, PERHAPS, IF YOU ARE DOING A SHOW IN, LET'S SAY, THE METROPOLITAN.

BUT YOU ARE NOW DOING 8 SHOWS A WEEK.

REN ÉE: YOU JUST--YOU TOUCHED ON THE ACTUAL HUGE DIFFERENCE.

DAVID: RIGHT.

SO YOU STRAIN YOUR VOICE DOING 8 SHOWS A WEEK.

DOES IT HURT YOU IF YOU ARE GOING TO GO DO OPERA LATER?

REN ÉE: IT WASN'T THAT LONG AGO, REALLY, THAT PEOPLE WERE UNAMPLIFIED ON BROADWAY, AND THEY SANG BY AND LARGE CLOSER TO THE WAY THAT I DO.

BECAUSE OF THE DRAMA, THEY ABSOLUTELY PUT AMPLIFICATION INTO EVERY THEATER NOW, AND THAT MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD.

SO ON THE OPERA STAGE, OUR BODIES ARE THE AMPLIFIERS.

WE HAVE TO CREATE ENOUGH SOUND TO BE HEARD OVER AN ORCHESTRA CHORUS, AND INTO THE BACK OF A LARGE HALL.

ON BROADWAY, REALLY, THE MECHANISM OF MICROPHONES AND AMPLIFICATION AND A REALLY GREAT SOUND DESIGNER, THEY DO THAT WORK FOR US, AND WE CAN KIND OF, NOT TAKE IT EASY, PER SE, BUT NOT USE POWER.

DAVID: EXPLAIN FOR PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT BE FAMILIAR WITH THIS, IN OPERA, THERE'S NO AMPLIFICATION ALLOWED.

YOU CAN'T USE A MICROPHONE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

REN ÉE: THAT'S RIGHT.

DAVID: WHY IS THAT?

REN ÉE: YOU KNOW, IT'S THE ART FORM IS OLD.

IT'S BEEN THAT WAY ALWAYS.

AND FRANKLY, I BELIEVE THAT THE WAY WE ARE TRAINED ENABLES US TO BE HEARD.

AND THE INDIVIDUAL QUALITY THAT WE HAVE IS SO POWERFUL AND BEAUTIFUL, ACTUALLY, BECAUSE WE ALL SOUND QUITE DIFFERENT.

DAVID: WHEN OSCAR HAMMERSTEIN AND RICHARD RODGERS WROTE THE PLAY AND THE MUSIC FOR "CAROUSEL," THEY KNEW AT THE TIME THAT SOME OF THE LYRICS WERE COMPLICATED, AND THERE WAS A BIT OF SPOUSAL ABUSE.

DO YOU HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THAT?

REN ÉE: I ACTUALLY THINK, YOU KNOW, MOST OF OPERA, MOST OF HISTORY, REALLY, SHAKESPEARE ALSO LOOKED AT SO MANY OF THESE THINGS.

I THINK IT'S WORTH PORTRAYING THESE ASPECTS OF THE HUMAN CONDITION, OF HUMAN EXPERIENCE, SO THAT WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT, SO THAT WE CAN AIR IT.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO GIVE PEOPLE A PLATFORM TO SAY, "I HAD A BAD EXPERIENCE."

NO ONE SHOULD EVER COME TO AN AUDIENCE AND FEEL TAKEN UNAWARES, I THINK, AND BE HURT BY SOMETHING, BUT WE SHOULD BE AFFECTED BY IT.

DAVID: YOU SING ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE SHOW, IT'S THE SONG AT THE END.

WHAT IS THAT SONG THAT IS SO WELL KNOWN, THAT YOU'VE SUNG BEFORE ABOUT, I GUESS, WALKING ALONE?

REN ÉE: SO "YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE" IS ONE OF THE GREAT ICONIC SONGS.

IT IS A UNIVERSAL STATEMENT ABOUT HOPE AND ABOUT RESILIENCE.

AND IN THIS PIECE, MY CHARACTER, NETTIE, SINGS IT TO JULIE JUST AS BILLY HAS DIED.

AND IT'S VERY MOVING IN CONTEXT.

AND I'VE SUNG IT A LOT BEFORE.

I SANG IT FOR THE 9/11 MEMORIAL A YEAR AFTER 9/11 IN WASHINGTON.

AND I'VE SUNG IT ALL THROUGH THE YEARS.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE ABSOLUTELY LOVE.

♪ WALK ON THROUGH THE WIND ♪ ♪ WALK ON THROUGH THE RAIN ♪ ♪ THOUGH YOUR DREAMS ♪ ♪ BE TOSSED AND BLOWN ♪ DAVID: SO WHEN YOU SING A SONG THAT YOU KNOW QUITE WELL AND YOU'VE SUNG BEFORE AND IT HAS LOTS OF DIFFERENT COMPLICATED LYRICS IN IT, DO YOU EVER FORGET THE LYRICS WHEN YOU'RE SINGING A SONG, OR NEVER HAPPENS?

REN ÉE: UH, NO, NO.

THIS PIECE, IT'S ENGRAINED.

"JUNE IS BUSTIN' OUT ALL OVER" WAS REALLY HARD.

THAT'S A VERY WORDY, ALMOST A PATTER SONG.

I'M USED TO SINGING IN IN FOREIGN LANGUAGES.

SO--AND I'M USED TO SINGING IN A VERY STRETCHED OUT WAY IN OPERA THAT THERE'S NOT-- MY CHARACTER AND MY VOICE TYPE TYPICALLY DOESN'T HAVE A HUGE AMOUNT OF TEXT UNLESS IT'S [INDISTINCT] SO THAT WAS A LITTLE BIT CHALLENGING.

BUT BY AND LARGE, IT'S OK.

DIALOGUE IS REALLY DIFFERENT FOR ME.

THERE'S NO MUSIC UNDERNEATH ME WHEN I'M SAYING DIALOGUE, AND THAT MAKES ME VERY ANXIOUS.

DAVID: LET'S TALK ABOUT HOW YOU BECAME A VERY FAMOUS SOPRANO, PERHAPS THE MOST FAMOUS IN THE WORLD.

YOU GREW UP IN NEW YORK.

REN ÉE: YOU NEED TO REPEAT THAT, I LOVE IT.

YOU'RE SO--I LOVE THAT, DAVID.

JUST KEEP... DAVID: WELL, IT'S TRUE.

REN ÉE: JUST KEEP SAYING THAT.

THANK YOU.

DAVID: SO YOU GREW UP IN UPSTATE NEW YORK.

IS THAT RIGHT?

NEAR ROCHESTER?

REN ÉE: I DID.

ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

DAVID: ROCHESTER.

REN ÉE: THAT'S RIGHT.

DAVID: AND YOUR PARENTS WERE MUSIC TEACHERS.

REN ÉE: YES, YES.

DAVID: SO DID THEY ALWAYS SAY TO YOU, YOU SHOULD GROW UP TO BE A GREAT OPERA SINGER, OR THEY NEVER BOTHERED YOU TO... REN ÉE: NO, NO, THEY WERE SHOCKED.

THEY WERE ABSOLUTELY SHOCKED.

THEY SAID GET A TEACHING DEGREE, AND, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE-- FORGET ABOUT THAT, IT'S JUST TOO IMPOSSIBLE.

SO, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN IMAGINE THEIR SURPRISE.

MY MOTHER IS STILL TEACHING VOICE.

SHE'S-- SHE LOVES IT, SHE IS VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT TEACHING.

AND I, YOU KNOW, IT'S STEP BY STEP.

IT TAKES AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF DRIVE, I THINK, AND RESILIENCE, AGAIN, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT IS HUGELY COMPETITIVE.

DAVID: WHEN YOU WERE A LITTLE GIRL, YOU WERE SINGING IN MANY DIFFERENT PLAYS, I GUESS SCHOOL PLAYS AND SO FORTH.

WHEN DID YOU REALIZE THAT YOU ACTUALLY WERE GOOD ENOUGH TO MAYBE BE A PROFESSIONAL SINGER?

WAS IT IN HIGH SCHOOL OR WHEN YOU GOT TO COLLEGE?

REN ÉE: WELL, I WAS--I DID MUSICALS.

I SANG A LOT OF MUSICALS.

I SANG ELIZA DOOLITTLE IN SEVENTH GRADE AND ELEVENTH GRADE.

SO I FEEL, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY EXPERT IN THAT PARTICULAR ROLE.

I NEVER SANG A MUSICAL AGAIN UNTIL NOW.

SO I--IT WAS--I JUST KEPT GOING ALONG.

SO IT WASN'T AS IF I MADE A DECISION.

I THINK WHEN I HAD THE FULBRIGHT SCHOLARSHIP, THAT WAS A BIG TURNING POINT FOR ME, TO BE IN EUROPE, TO BE SEEPED IN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE AND STUDYING, I LOVED THAT.

DAVID: SO WHEN YOU APPLIED TO COLLEGE, YOU WANTED TO GO TO A SCHOOL THAT HAD A VERY GOOD MUSIC PROGRAM.

AND YOU APPLIED TO OBERLIN, AND YOU GOT IN TO OBERLIN, BUT YOUR PARENTS REALLY COULD NOT AFFORD FOR YOU TO GO THERE, SO YOU WENT TO STATE UNIVERSITY IN POTSDAM.

REN ÉE: POTSDAM, YEAH.

DAVID: IT TURNED OUT THAT WAS A PRETTY GOOD THING FOR YOU, BECAUSE THEY HAD A VERY GOOD SCHOOL OF MUSIC, IS THAT RIGHT?

REN ÉE: AND A GREAT VOICE TEACHER.

AND THAT'S REALLY ONE OF THE KEY COMPONENTS FOR SUCCESS IS HAVING SOMEONE WHO CAN HELP YOU DEVELOP YOUR VOICE.

AND IT'S NOT EASY.

IT IS VERY INDIVIDUAL.

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, EVERY INSTRUMENT IS DIFFERENT.

IT'S INTERNAL, THE VOICE, AND IT REQUIRES FOR EACH BONE STRUCTURE AND EACH KIND OF PHYSICAL STRUCTURE, A DIFFERENT SET OF RULES FOR TECHNIQUE.

DAVID: SO WHEN YOU WENT THERE, YOU REALIZED YOU WERE PROBABLY BETTER THAN THE AVERAGE PERSON, AND YOU BEGAN TO SING A LITTLE BIT PROFESSIONALLY, BUT YOU DID SOME JAZZ SINGING AS WELL.

YOU WEREN'T NECESSARILY AN OPERA SINGER.

DID YOU LIKE JAZZ MORE THAN OPERA?

REN ÉE: I'M STILL A JAZZ FANATIC.

I LISTEN TO IT A LOT.

YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN BIKING ON THE RIVER, AND THAT IS HOW I DE-STRESS.

I LISTEN TO A LOT OF MY FAVORITE PERFORMERS.

SO YEAH, I STILL REALLY LOVE THAT.

BUT I THINK CLASSICAL, FOR ME, IT WAS A BETTER FIT FOR MY TEMPERAMENT.

I WAS SHY.

I PREFERRED TO BE IN THE PRACTICE ROOM, KIND OF UNLOCKING AND WORKING ON THE PROCESS OF LEARNING HOW TO SING.

I LOVED THAT, AS OPPOSED TO BEING AN EXTROVERT AND A PERFORMER.

I HAD TO LEARN THAT.

DAVID: OK, SO YOU'RE DOING THIS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK-- STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT POTSDAM.

YOU GRADUATE, AND THEN YOU GO TO THE EASTMAN SCHOOL OF MUSIC IN ROCHESTER.

REN ÉE: RIGHT.

DAVID: AND THAT'S WHEN YOU BEGAN TO REALIZE YOU REALLY SHOULD SPECIALIZING IN BEING AN OPERA SINGER?

REN ÉE: OPERA'S PART OF THE CLASSICAL EDUCATION, SO IT'S ABSOLUTELY PART OF IT.

SO IT WASN'T REALLY SEPARATE FROM SINGING OR SINGING ACTUALLY SONG LITERATURE, WHICH I ALSO LOVE.

I'M DOING A PROGRAM AT CARNEGIE HALL NOW THAT WILL NURTURE YOUNG SINGERS INTERESTED IN SONG.

AND SO THAT EDUCATION-- AND INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, IT'S ONLY NOW REALLY BROADENING.

SO NOW YOU CAN TAKE VOICE LESSONS IN SEVERAL SCHOOLS FOR MUSIC THEATER.

YOU CAN ALSO STUDY JAZZ, YOU CAN STUDY POP MUSIC AT USC.

BUT THERE AREN'T MANY PROGRAMS THAT EACH OTHER THAN CLASSICAL.

DAVID: SO YOU WERE--AFTER THAT, YOU WENT TO JULLIARD.

REN ÉE: YES.

JULLIARD.

DAVID: AND THEN YOU WON A FULBRIGHT YOU MENTIONED EARLIER TO GO TO GERMANY.

REN ÉE: EXACTLY.

DAVID: AND WHY DID YOU WANT TO GO TO GERMANY?

OR THAT'S WHERE YOU HAPPENED TO WIN THE FULBRIGHT?

REN ÉE: WELL, YOU KNOW, I-- THERE WERE-- IT WAS THE STRONGEST OPERA PROGRAM AND YOU HAD THE BEST LIKELIHOOD OF BEING ACCEPTED.

AND I STUDIED WITH ARLEEN AUGER.

DO YOU KNOW, I THINK YOU KNOW MY R ÉSUM É BETTER THAN I DO, DAVID.

I'M REALLY IMPRESSED.

I'D HAVE TO LOOK SOME THINGS UP, I THINK.

DAVID: ALL RIGHT, SO YOU DO YOUR FULBRIGHT, YOU COME BACK, AND YOU BEGIN TO PREPARE FOR MAYBE AN OPERA CAREER.

AND AS YOU POINTED OUT IN A BOOK YOU'VE WRITTEN ABOUT THIS, "INNER VOICES," THE PROBLEM IS THAT IF YOU'RE NOT GOOD ENOUGH TO HAVE AN AGENT, YOU CAN'T GET ASSIGNMENTS.

AND IF YOU DON'T WIN AUDITIONS, YOU CAN'T GET AN AGENT.

AND YOU WEREN'T THAT GREAT AT WINNING-- REN ÉE: CATCH-22.

DAVID: AT COMPETITIONS OR AUDITIONS.

SO WHAT DID YOU DO?

HOW DID YOU ACTUALLY BREAK THROUGH?

REN ÉE: FINALLY SOMEBODY HAS TO TAKE A CHANCE.

YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO HAVE ONE PERSON, ONE IMPRESARIO WHO SAYS, "I DON'T CARE WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK, I LIKE THIS SOPRANO AND I'M GOING TO GIVE HER A BREAK."

DAVID: YOUR FIRST BREAK WAS IN HOUSTON.

HOW DID THAT COME ABOUT?

SOMEBODY CALLED YOU AND SAID SOMEBODY GOT SICK AND CAN YOU COME AND PERFORM?

REN ÉE: EXACTLY.

I HAD AUDITIONED FOR THE PROGRAM, FOR THE STUDIO, THE YOUNG ARTISTS PROGRAM.

A FEW MONTHS LATER, THEY CALLED AND SAID, "WE HAD A CANCELLATION."

[SINGING IN ITALIAN] DAVID: SINGING OPERA, YOU SING FROM THE CHEST MORE AND NOT FROM THE THROAT?

REN ÉE: SO WE USE AN OPTIMAL BREATH EXPANSION, SORT OF AN INTAKE, AND THEN SUPPORT.

SUPPORT IS REALLY A KEY THING.

AND THAT OPTIMIZES THE AMOUNT OF SOUND YOU CAN MAKE WITHOUT USING PRESSURE, WITHOUT ACTUALLY TIRING YOURSELF.

SO SOMEBODY CAN GO TO A SPORTS EVENT AND SHOUT, AND THEY ARE HOARSE THE NEXT DAY.

YOU SAY, "WERE YOU AT A ROCK CONCERT?

"WERE YOU AT A SPORTS EVENT?

WHERE WERE YOU?

WERE YOU OUT DANCING?"

YOU KNOW SOMEONE HAS HURT THEIR VOICE.

WE'LL SING FOR 3 HOURS, JUST AS EXTREME IN TERMS OF HOW WE'RE USING OUR VOICE, AND THE NEXT DAY WE CAN DO IT AGAIN.

DAVID: WHEN YOU SING OPERA AND YOU DON'T KNOW THE LANGUAGE, IS THAT VERY DIFFICULT?

REN ÉE: WELL, I SING IN ABOUT 8-- 8, 9 LANGUAGES, YOU KNOW, IF YOU INCLUDE "LORD OF THE RINGS."

AND I ONLY SPEAK REALLY 3 OF THEM, 4 OF THEM IF YOU INCLUDE ENGLISH.

SO LEARNING EVERYTHING ELSE, WHETHER RUSSIAN OR CZECH, IS BY ROTE, IT'S MEMORIZING SOUNDS.

[SINGING IN RUSSIAN] YOU HAVE TO SOUND AUTHENTIC, AND YOU ALSO HAVE TO MEMORIZE WHAT EVERYONE ELSE IS SAYING.

SO IT IS JUST VERY TIME-CONSUMING.

DAVID: WHEN YOU DON'T KNOW THE LANGUAGE AND YOU MEMORIZE BY ROTE, DO YOU ACTUALLY KNOW WHAT THE WORDS SAY, OR YOU JUST KNOW WHAT THE SOUND IS?

REN ÉE: YES, YOU HAVE TO LEARN IT ALL.

DAVID: WHY IS IT YOU THINK OPERA HAS DECLINING ATTENDANCE, AS DOES ALL CLASSICAL MUSIC?

REN ÉE: WELL, I WOULD HAVE TRIED TO EXPLAIN THAT, BUT ACTUALLY, ATTENDANCE IS DOWN IN MAJOR SPORTS ARENAS AS WELL.

I DO THINK THERE IS SO MUCH AVAILABLE TO PEOPLE FOR ENTERTAINMENT, AND A LOT OF IT IS DIGITAL AND A LOT OF IT IS ON TELEVISION, THAT PEOPLE, BY AND LARGE, I MEAN, I SEE THIS WITH YOUNG PEOPLE AROUND ME.

THEY JUST--THEY DON'T WANT TO SPEND THE MONEY.

THEY DON'T GO OUT.

THE OTHER THING I WANT TO SAY IS WHEN I MOVED TO NEW YORK, THERE WERE ONLY A FEW VENUES.

THERE WERE THEATERS ON BROADWAY AND THERE WERE A FEW CLASSICAL MUSIC VENUES, COUPLE OF DANCE VENUES, THAT WAS IT.

NOW THERE IS A PERFORMING ARTS CENTER EVERY OTHER BLOCK.

SO I AM OPENING THE SHED, WHICH IS OPENING A YEAR FROM NOW, WHICH IS GONNA BE SPECTACULAR.

IT'S EXTRAORDINARY ARCHITECTURE AND AN EXTRAORDINARY OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE ONLY NEW WORK.

AND I AM THRILLED TO BE PARTICIPATING IN THE FIRST PIECE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO PRESENT.

DAVID: SO OPERA IS SOMETHING YOU ARE GOING TO CONTINUE DOING.

THERE WAS A STORY ONCE IN THE "NEW YORK TIMES" THAT SAID YOU WERE GOING TO FINISH YOUR CAREER AT THE MET AT A CERTAIN POINT IN 2017, BUT YOU ARE STILL DOING OPERA, IS THAT RIGHT?

REN ÉE: RIGHT.

I MEAN, THAT WAS, YOU KNOW-- THAT WAS REALLY UNFAIR.

THAT WAS A HEADLINE THAT WAS TRYING TO DRAW ATTENTION.

DAVID: SO WHEN YOU DO-- TODAY, YOU DO OPERA.

YOU'RE DOING OTHER TYPES OF MUSIC.

REN ÉE: I MOSTLY CONCERTIZE, AND THAT IS WHAT I HAVE BEEN DOING FOR 15 YEARS.

I'D SAY I SPEND 80% OF MY TIME ON THE CONCERT STAGE, WHICH ENABLES ME TO GET AROUND THE WORLD.

I LOVE CREATING THE REN ÉE FLEMING SHOW, WHATEVER IT IS I THINK THE AUDIENCE WILL ENJOY THE MOST, A MIXTURE USUALLY OF REPERTOIRE.

AND I LOVE MEETING NEW AUDIENCES AND HAVING THAT ONE-ON-ONE COMMUNICATION.

[SINGING OPERATICALLY] I'M WORKING ON A NEW PIECE FOR THE MET, ACTUALLY, THAT'LL BE-- THIS CAN'T BE ANNOUNCED YET, BUT IT IS REALLY EXCITING TO CONTEMPLATE.

SO I'M GOING TO GO, I THINK, BACK TO THE MET.

BUT FRANKLY, AND I HAVE ANOTHER MAJOR THEATRICAL PROJECT AFTER THE SHED.

SO I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THAT I WOULD BE DOING THIS MUCH THEATER.

AND ALSO, CHICAGO, WE PRODUCED "BEL CANTO," THE OPERA.

SO THE FILM IS COMING OUT THIS YEAR.

I'VE HAD THIS REMARKABLE YEAR IN FILM THAT I NEVER COULD HAVE DREAMT UP, TO HAVE "THE SHAPE OF WATER" AND "THREE BILLBOARDS OUT OF EBBING, MISSOURI."

DAVID: SO YOU SING THE SONGS THAT WON AN ACADEMY AWARD.

REN ÉE: YES, EXACTLY.

WELL, ALEXANDRE DESPLAT WON FOR THE MUSIC IN GENERAL.

BUT "THE SHAPE OF WATER," THIS BEAUTIFUL SONG THAT WAS AT THE END OF THE CREDITS AND HALFWAY THROUGH THE FILM AS WELL.

♪ YOU'LL NEVER KNOW JUST HOW MUCH I CARE ♪ DAVID: FAMOUS SOPRANOS ARE SOMETIMES LABELED AS DIVAS OR PRIMA DONNAS, MARIA CALLAS BEING A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THAT, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE THAT REPUTATION.

SO HOW DID YOU AVOID THAT REPUTATION?

REN ÉE: GOSH, YOU KNOW, I JUST WISH I COULD HAVE-- I JUST WANTED TO NURTURE THAT A LITTLE BIT SO I COULD BE THE SUBJECT OF DINNER CONVERSATIONS, AND I JUST COULDN'T DO IT.

I'VE NEVER BEEN GOOD AT IT.

DAVID: BUT IN OTHER WORDS, THE EGO THAT'S INVOLVED WITH BEING A GREAT SOPRANO OBVIOUSLY GETS TO A LOT OF PEOPLE.

REN ÉE: I THINK IT COMES OUT OF ANXIETY.

IT COMES FROM A CERTAIN KIND OF--A HUGE ANXIETY ABOUT PERFORMANCE PRESSURE.

AND LET'S NOT DIMINISH WHAT PERFORMANCE PRESSURE MEANS.

IT IS REALLY CHALLENGING.

AND SOME PEOPLE--YOU KNOW, IF YOU MAKE IT TO THE TOP, EVEN STAYING AT THE TOP IS TERRIBLY DIFFICULT.

SO I HAVE INTERNALIZED THE PRESSURE THAT I HAVE FELT OVER THE YEARS, AND THAT'S NOT REALLY GREAT, EITHER, BECAUSE IT IS NOT FUN TO FEEL LIKE THAT.

BUT OTHER PEOPLE EXTERNALIZE IT, AND THEY TAKE IT OUT ON WHOEVER IS AROUND THEM.

AND SOMEHOW THAT IS HOW THAT HAPPENS, AND THEN THEY GO ON STAGE AND THEY ARE GREAT.

DAVID: NOW, BECAUSE OF THE PRESSURE OF BEING AN OPERA SINGER, SOMETIMES YOU NEED AN OUTLET.

WHAT DO YOU DO FOR AN OUTLET?

REN ÉE: I AM A CULTURE FANATIC.

AND I AM ALSO FASCINATED BY--I WANT TO LEARN.

I AM A LIFELONG LEARNER.

SO I'M GOING TO MUSEUMS AND THEATER.

I LOVE, ABSOLUTELY LOVE, THEATER.

AND I LOVE BEAUTY IN NATURE, VERY MUCH SO.

I'M ENJOYING NURTURING YOUNG TALENT, AND I HOPE TO CONTINUE DOING THAT IN A MORE MEANINGFUL WAY IN THE FUTURE.

♪ THE BAFFLED KING COMPOSING HALLELUJAH ♪ ♪ HALLELUJAH ♪ ♪ HALLELUJAH ♪ DAVID: YOU ALSO WORK WITH NIH AND FRANCIS COLLINS, THE HEAD OF IT, TO TRY TO SHOW THAT ACTUALLY MUSIC CAN HELP PEOPLE GET HEALTHIER.

CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT?

REN ÉE: SO I BASICALLY MET FRANCIS COLLINS, WHO'S THE DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH, AT A DINNER PARTY, AN AMAZING DINNER PARTY WITH JUSTICES SCALIA, GINSBURG, AND KENNEDY, AND HE--WE HAD A SING-ALONG.

DAVID: WHEN YOU'RE DOING A SING-ALONG, ISN'T EVERYONE ELSE INTIMIDATED?

YOU'RE NOT EXACTLY THE AVERAGE SING-ALONG PERSON.

REN ÉE: WELL, WE WERE KIND OF SINGING "THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND."

THEY WERE SONGS THAT EVERYBODY KNEW, AND THEY LOVED IT.

AND I SAID TO FRANCIS AT SOME POINT IN THE EVENING, I SAID, "THERE IS SO MUCH NEUROSCIENCE ABOUT MUSIC.

"WHAT WOULD YOU THINK ABOUT COLLABORATING WITH THE KENNEDY CENTER?"

AND HE SAID "YES, LET'S LOOK INTO THAT," AND IT'S TURNED INTO THIS REALLY EXTRAORDINARY PROJECT.

IT'S ABOUT DRAWING ATTENTION TO THE POWER OF MUSIC, BECAUSE THE NEUROSCIENCE IS NEW, IT IS RELATIVELY NEW, AND BECOMING MORE WIDELY KNOWN.

BUT HOW IT HELPS IN CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT, HOW IT HELPS WITH SO MANY THERAPIES FOR AUTISM, ALZHEIMER'S, PARKINSON'S, FOR VETERANS.

I GAVE 14 PRESENTATIONS IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS AROUND THE COUNTRY WHERE I SANG, SHARING KIND OF ALL THE KNOWLEDGE THAT I AM GAINING IN A HOPEFULLY ENTERTAINING WAY.

DAVID: SO WHEN PEOPLE COME UP TO YOU, YOUNG PERFORMERS, AND SAY, "I WANT TO BE A FAMOUS OPERA SINGER," WHAT IS THE ADVICE YOU GIVE THEM?

REN ÉE: WELL, I REALLY ADVISE PEOPLE FIRST AND FOREMOST NOT TO ACCEPT ANY LIMITATIONS.

NOW you NOT ONLY DO YOU HAVE TO SING FABULOUSLY, HAVE A SUPER TECHNIQUE, AND REALLY BE ABLE TO TRUST YOUR VOICE, YOU HAVE TO LOOK FABULOUS, LOOK LIKE THE CHARACTER YOU'RE PLAYING, AND ACT AMAZINGLY WELL.

AND A LOT OF THIS HAS DEVELOPED SINCE I STARTED SINGING, AND I'M SURE THE DEMANDS WILL BE EVEN MORE IN THE FUTURE.

DAVID: SO IF I WANTED TO LEARN HOW TO BE AN OPERA SINGER, IT'S LATE, I GUESS, IN LIFE.

YOU HAVE TO LEARN EARLY.

YOU CANNOT START LATE IN LIFE, RIGHT?

REN ÉE: TYPICALLY NOT, TYPICALLY NOT.

DAVID: AND TODAY WHEN YOU GO TO MASTER CLASSES, YOU TEACH PEOPLE, DO YOU EVER SEE ANYBODY AND THINK, "THIS PERSON REALLY IS TALENTED"?

REN ÉE: OH, YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

I ABSOLUTELY--YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A LOT OF DIAMONDS IN THE ROUGH OUT THERE.

AND WE ALSO SAY THE GREATEST SINGERS IN THE WORLD PROBABLY DON'T EVEN KNOW THEY HAVE A VOICE.

DAVID: WELL, OK. REN ÉE: SO, DAVID, YOU KNOW, WE COULD WORK ON IT A LITTLE BIT AND SEE, JUST CHECK OUT THE TALENT.

DAVID: I HAVE--EVERY TIME I HAVE EVER SUNG, PEOPLE SAY, "YOU ARE COMPLETELY TONE DEAF."

SO I DON'T THINK I HAVE THE SKILL.

SO IF YOU HAD TO PAY TO WATCH OPERA, WHO WOULD YOU WANT TO PAY TO LISTEN TO?

WHO ARE THE GREAT OPERA MALE AND FEMALE PERFORMERS THAT YOU WOULD HAVE PAID TO HEAR?

REN ÉE: OH, GOSH.

I MEAN, I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO HAVE HEARD MARIA CALLAS BECAUSE OF HER MUSICIANSHIP.

I MEAN, I STILL GO TO HER RECORDS ALL THE TIME.

VICTORIA DE LOS ANGELES.

I DON'T THINK I EVER HEARD HER SING LIVE.

I'M A HUGE FAN OF HER SINGING SCHWARZKOPF.

I DID A MASTER CLASS WITH HER, BUT I NEVER HEARD HER SING LIVE.

SO THERE HAVE BEEN GREAT HISTORICAL-- WE BELONG TO A TAPESTRY THAT IS REALLY HISTORIC, AND I LOVE THAT CONNECTION TO WHAT HAS COME BEFORE, AND I LOVE CELEBRATING THAT.

AND, YOU KNOW, THAT IS SOMETHING WE LOSE IN OUR CULTURE RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF THIS CONNECTION TO SOCIAL MEDIA AND TO THE HERE AND NOW AND THE MOMENTARY, THIS IDEA THAT YOU BECOME REALLY WONDERFUL AT SOMETHING AND YOU LEARN ABOUT WHAT PEOPLE HAVE DONE BEFORE YOU.

DAVID: YOU HAVE TWO DAUGHTERS.

DO THEY WANT TO BE SINGERS?

REN ÉE: THEY ARE WONDERFUL SINGERS.

THEY KNOW TOO MUCH, SO NEITHER OF THEM WANT TO PURSUE SINGING.

THE LIFESTYLE IS CHALLENGING.

I AM ON THE ROAD--LITERALLY EVERY 3 DAYS, I'M ON A PLANE.

DAVID: WHEN YOUR DAUGHTERS WERE YOUNGER, YOU HAVE WRITTEN THE FACT THAT YOU WOULD PACK THEM UP AND TAKE THEM ON THE ROAD WITH YOU AND GET TUTORS OR OTHER-- WAS THAT COMPLICATED?

REN ÉE: YES, BUT WORTH IT.

TOTALLY WORTH IT.

I REALLY BELIEVED THAT THEIR HOME WAS WITH ME, THAT THEIR HOME WAS WITH THE PEOPLE WHO LOVE THEM, AND THAT HAS WORKED OUT WELL.

THEY HAVE TURNED INTO FABULOUS YOUNG WOMEN.

DAVID: SO IF YOU HAD THE CHANCE TO SING ONE OPERA, ONLY ONE MORE OPERA FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE, WHAT OPERA WOULD YOU WANT TO BE IN?

[SINGING OPERATICALLY] THE MOST INTERESTING WOMAN, THE MOST COMPLEX.

YOU KNOW, JUST SUCH A 3-DIMENSIONAL WOMAN, WHICH YOU DON'T FIND VERY MUCH.

IF #METOO IS AN ISSUE, MOST OF WHAT WE DO IN OPERA WOULD NOT BE PERFORMED, BECAUSE WOMEN ARE VICTIMIZED RIGHT AND LEFT IN OPERA BECAUSE IT IS A HISTORIC ART FORM.

SO THAT IS WHY THE MARSCHALLIN, WHO HAS POWER, WHO HAS--EVEN THOUGH SHE IS COMPLEX, SHE IS MUCH MORE INTERESTING.

DAVID: YOU'VE DONE BROADWAY, YOU'VE DONE OPERA, CLASSICAL MUSIC.

IS THERE SOMETHING YOU HAVEN'T DONE THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO?

REN ÉE: GOSH, YOU KNOW WHAT, DAVID?

IT IS ALREADY SO MUCH RICHER THAN I EVER COULD HAVE IMAGINED.

IF YOU TOLD ME THAT I WOULD BE IN A MUSICAL ON BROADWAY, I WOULD HAVE SAID, UNLIKELY, UNLIKELY.

SO I DON'T THINK I HAVE A WISH LIST.

WHAT I DO HAVE IS AN OPEN MIND AND A BELIEF IN THE FUTURE.

♪ AMERICA ♪ ♪ AMERICA ♪ ♪ GOD SHED HIS GRACE ON THEE ♪ I ABSOLUTELY BELIEVE THAT THINGS COME TO US IF WE WORK HARD AND WE'RE DEDICATED AND WE LOVE WHAT WE'RE DOING AND WE'RE PASSIONATE.

DAVID: WHEN YOU ARE AN OPERA SINGER, YOU CAN'T YELL AT ANYBODY OR YELL ANYTHING BECAUSE YOU COULD RUIN YOUR VOICE.

DO YOU EVER WORRY ABOUT THAT?

OR DO YOU JUST DON'T WORRY ABOUT THAT?

REN ÉE: OH, I MADE THAT MISTAKE ONCE.

UGH.

ONE OF MY DAUGHTERS WAS UPSTAIRS AND I--IN A MOMENT I SHOUTED AT HER, AND I FELT IT.

I WENT, "UH-OH."

I HAD TO CANCEL 3 PERFORMANCES AT THE MET IN A PRODUCTION THAT WAS BUILT FOR ME.

SO THAT WAS REALLY UNFORTUNATE.

DAVID: SO, LIKE IN MY CASE, I AM NOT A GOOD SINGER, AS I MENTIONED.

I AM COMPLETELY TONE DEAF, BUT I CAN SING IN THE SHOWER AND NOBODY OBJECTS.

SO CAN AN OPERA SINGER SING IN THE SHOWER, OR IS THAT NOT POSSIBLE?

REN ÉE: OH, IT IS GREAT TO SING IN THE SHOWER.

IT IS A GOOD PLACE TO WARM UP.

YOU HAVE ALL THAT MOISTURE.

YOU KNOW, IN FACT, YOU MIGHT BECOME A BETTER SINGER BY SINGING IN THE SHOWER.

DAVID: MAYBE I SHOULD PRACTICE THAT MORE.

I WILL THINK ABOUT THAT.

REN ÉE: EXACTLY.

DAVID: THE THING YOU'RE MOST PROUD OF HAVING ACHIEVED IN YOUR LIFE, OTHER THAN, LET'S SAY, RAISING TWO VERY TALENTED YOUNG WOMEN, YOUR DAUGHTERS, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY YOU HAVE MOST ACHIEVED THAT'S GIVEN YOU THE MOST PRIDE?

IS IT COMING FROM VERY MODEST CIRCUMSTANCES TO BECOMING ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS PEOPLE IN THE WORLD, IN THE OPERA WORLD, OR WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IT IS?

REN ÉE: WELL, I DO SHARE WITH YOU THIS EXTRAORDINARY WONDER AT THE REALM OF POSSIBILITIES THAT WE HAVE AS AMERICANS, BECAUSE SOME OF MY RELATIVES WERE LITERALLY COAL MINERS IN PENNSYLVANIA, AND I HAVE SAT NEXT TO PRINCE CHARLES AND NEXT TO THE KING OF SWEDEN AT DINNER PARTIES AND AT VARIOUS PERFORMANCES, AND I ALWAYS STOP AND SAY, "ISN'T THIS AMAZING?"

LITERALLY IN TWO GENERATIONS THAT I HAVE THIS ABILITY TO TRAVEL THE WORLD AND EXPERIENCE EVERY PLACE I GO AT THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY LEVEL.

DAVID: AND THE LEGACY THAT YOU WOULD LIKE PEOPLE TO THINK ABOUT YOU, LET'S SAY 20 YEARS FROM NOW WHEN PEOPLE LOOK BACK.

REN ÉE: I THINK I REALLY EXPANDED THE POSSIBILITIES FOR THE SINGERS WHO CAME AFTER ME BY SINGING IN MULTIPLE GENRES, BY SINGING JAZZ, MAKING A ROCK ALBUM, NOW SINGING IN MUSIC THEATER.

WHEN I STARTED, PEOPLE DISCOURAGED THAT VERY HEAVILY.

THEY SAID, "NO, YOU ARE GOING TO RUIN YOUR LEGACY.

"YOU WILL RUIN THE WAY IN WHICH YOU ARE VIEWED CRITICALLY.

"YOU MUST NOT STEP OUT OF THE BOX.

IN FACT, THE MORE SPECIALIZED YOU ARE, THE BETTER."

AND I JUST THOUGHT, I'M TOO CURIOUS.

I WANT TO TRY NEW THINGS.

SO I JUST IGNORED THAT ADVICE.

DAVID: WHEN YOU ARE IN OPERA, WHEN YOU GO OUT FOR A BOW OUT, IT CAN GO ON FOR 10 MINUTES, 20 MINUTES.

HOW LONG DO YOU GO OUT BEFORE YOU REALIZE IT IS FINALLY TIME TO LEAVE THE STAGE?

REN ÉE: BOWING AN OPERA IS AN ART FORM UNTO ITSELF.

IT'S ANOTHER PERFORMANCE, AND SOME PEOPLE DO IT EXTREMELY WELL.

AND THE AUDIENCE LOVES IT.

THEY LOVE IT.

YOU KNOW, I HAD TO SORT OF FORCE-- I HAD FRIENDS WHO WOULD YELL AT ME THROUGH MY WHOLE CAREER, "STAY ON STAGE.

THE AUDIENCE WANTS TO SHOW YOU THEIR LOVE, THEIR APPRECIATION."

SO IT DIDN'T COME SUPER-NATURALLY TO ME.

DAVID: THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR DOING THIS.

REN ÉE: THANK YOU.

IT'S SO GREAT TO TALK TO YOU.

♪