Renée Fleming - The Schubert Album

This is where Renee Fleming proved herself as a voice of international importance, not just with the luster of her instrument but with her artistic integrity. Her song selection includes some rarely heard items such as the 15-minute ballad "Viola" and lots of the Schubert hits, such as "Ave Maria," "Die Forelle" and especially "Gretchen am Spinnrade," which she renders with a chillingly intense sense of drama. Throughout this disc, she eschews the usual tidy, well- mannered lieder approach of so many, giving each song a highly individualistic, even rugged profile. -- David Patrick Stearns