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Superstar soprano Renee Fleming is back in Chicago for a rare run as Violetta in Verdi’s “La traviata,” which is certainly good news for Lyric Opera, which did not have good luck with another superstar soprano this season. Whether or not you have one of those scarce tickets to hear Fleming traverse “traviata,” watching her give a master class is a fascinating experience as Fleming is not only able to give freely of herself working with other singers, but she is enormously eloquent in her ability to articulate what makes for effective singing. Fleming was born to music teachers and one of Fleming’s early teachers was legendary late soprano and Park Ridge native Arleen Auger who, like Fleming, seemed able to sing anything, although it was late Juilliard vocal coach Beverly Johnson—with whom Fleming worked until Johnson’s death, even when Fleming was the most popular diva on the planet—from whom Fleming learned the most. Fleming even wrote a fascinating book, “The Inner Voice,” about the journey of her singing voice from childhood through the heights of international operadom, although it is far more fun to see and hear her employ the principles articulated in that book in person on actual artists. Fleming is not afraid to demonstrate how a particular phrase should sound. (Dennis Polkow) Tuesday, January 15 at Northwestern University’s Pick-Staiger Concert Hall, 50 Arts Circle Drive, Evanston, (847)467-4000. 11am. $4-$7.
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