It was as a young and, by her own description, “green” opera student at the Aspen Music Festival and School in Colorado that the soprano Renée Fleming honed her art over several summers.

Now she’s coming back to help run it.

The festival announced Monday that Ms. Fleming, one of the world’s leading singers, and the conductor Patrick Summers, the artistic and music director of the Houston Grand Opera, would take over and redesign its opera program as the program’s new artistic directors.

“I always thought I would come back to Aspen,’’ Ms. Fleming said in a joint telephone interview with Mr. Summers. “It was my escape fantasy over the years.”

Ms. Fleming, who will continue to perform, said she was drawn to the opportunity to reimagine the program to better prepare young singers for today’s intensely competitive, rapidly changing opera environment.