IMAX Corporation (NYSE: IMAX) and Stage Access announced a pair of film experiences featuring Grammy-award winning soprano Renée Fleming, as she performs iconic favorites and tours some of the greatest musical cities of the world. Renée Fleming’s Cities That Sing – Paris and Renée Fleming’s Cities That Sing – Venice will premiere in select IMAX theaters globally on September 18th and October 30th, respectively.
Both films are Stage Access productions, Filmed for IMAX using IMAX-certified cameras and feature exclusive performances showcasing these great cities as never before seen through the eyes of one of the world’s greatest opera stars. Stroll along with Fleming and her contemporaries as they explore unique art, history, cuisine, and music.
On September 18th, one time only, Renée Fleming will participate in a live conversation, which will be simultaneously broadcast across the IMAX LIVE connected network to participating theaters globally. Audiences from around the world will have the opportunity to ask questions of Fleming live. Actor and producer Kelsey Grammer will moderate the discussion with Fleming at 3 PM ET from New York’s AMC Lincoln Square IMAX® theater. Additional showtimes for Renée Fleming’s Cities That Sing – Paris will occur on September 21.
Tickets for all Renée Fleming’s Cities That Sing – Paris showtimes will be available for purchase beginning August 30th at tickets.imax.com. Tickets for the Venice engagement will go on sale at a later date. The trailer can be found here.
Additional details for Venice along with additional Renée Fleming’s Cities That Sing destinations to be announced in the coming months.
“My life has taken me to some of the most magical cities around the globe, with legendary opera houses and centuries of musical history,” said Renée Fleming. “It’s thrilling to bring these places — and their glorious music — to audiences with the immersive power and scale of IMAX.”
Renée Fleming’s Cities That Sing – Paris will feature a performance from Fleming at the historic Théâtre du Châtelet. Fleming is joined on stage by special guest star, the world-renowned tenor Piotr Beczala and featured performers Axelle Fanyo and Alexandre Duhamel as they perform well-known opera selections with connections to Paris. As they tour famous locations in Paris, Fleming takes audiences through the beloved city to locations that influence arts and culture and most importantly those with a personal connection to her. She is joined by leading Couturier Alexis Mabille and acclaimed Director Robert Carsen in this love-letter to the culture of Paris and the music born from it. Renée Fleming’s Cities That Sing – Paris is directed by François-René Martin and produced by Tripp Hornick and Elmar Kruse. Executive Producers are Jason Richmond, John Turner and Bruce H. Lipnick.
In Renée Fleming’s Cities That Sing – Venice, Fleming welcomes star Italian tenor Francesco Meli, with baritone Mattia Olivieri and mezzo Paola Gardina on the world-famous stage of Venice’s Teatro La Fenice. Home to many well-known opera premieres, La Fenice – or The Phoenix – is the backdrop for some of opera’s most famous and enduring works. Set amongst the romantic canals, Fleming explores the city’s incomparable landscape and visits some of her favorite Venetian destinations, both by land and by sea. Along her journey she is joined by La Fenice’s Artistic Director, Fortunato Ortombina, and the orchestra’s Conductor, Riccardo Frizza. François-René Martin returns as Director as well as Producers Tripp Hornick and Elmar Kruse. Executive Producers are Jason Richmond, John Turner and Bruce H. Lipnick.
“We are honored to have been able to create this remarkable series reinventing how classical music can be enjoyed and connected to culture in the most immersive of experiences with the incomparable Renée Fleming,” said Bruce H. Lipnick, Founder and CEO of Stage Access, which produced both unique film experiences. “Fleming’s ability to connect with audiences as both a performer and host is unmatched along with the intimacy and scale of IMAX.”
“It is an honor to collaborate with Renée Fleming on this groundbreaking series that will bring the grandeur of her music and these unforgettable cities to life in IMAX for the first time,” said Megan Colligan, President of IMAX Entertainment. “We can’t wait to take Ms. Fleming’s fans on an immersive musical journey across some of the world’s most richly historied cities through the unrivaled sight and sound of IMAX.”
American soprano Renée Fleming is one of the most beloved and celebrated singers of our time. Winner of four Grammy awards and the US National Medal of Arts, Renée has sung for momentous occasions from the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony to the Diamond Jubilee Concert for Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace. She is the only classical artist ever to have performed the US National Anthem at the Super Bowl.
IMAX LIVE is bringing a differentiated offering to the market by connecting IMAX® theatres via a high-speed network capable of simultaneously broadcasting events and experiences of all kinds worldwide. Renée Fleming’s Cities That Sing – Paris and Renée Fleming’s Cities That Sing – Venice are the latest in IMAX LIVE’s music series, following a presentation of Halsey’s musical film If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power; and two sold-out concert experiences in support of Kanye West’s latest studio albums Donda and Donda 2. IMAX LIVE has also hosted a number of exclusive film screenings featuring conversations with participating filmmakers and talent, including Peter Jackson (The Beatles: Get Back – The Rooftop Concert); Jordan Peele (Nope); Frances McDormand and Joel Coen (The Tragedy of Macbeth); and Colin Trevorrow, Bryce Dallas Howard, Jeff Goldblum, and DeWanda Wise (Jurassic World Dominion). This year, IMAX LIVE expanded into the gaming landscape, with Summer Game Fest Live! and the upcoming The Game Awards airing live in IMAX® theatres for the first time in December.
