Renée Fleming, queen of the New York Met, discusses quitting the stage, and how opera is changing forever

One might think that after 25 years at the top of her profession, Renée Fleming would have had it all, done it all, sung it all – and from one perspective, you might be right.

As well as countless triumphs all over Europe and the US in a wide range of opera and concert work, the 56-year-old soprano from small-town Pennsylvania has been the Voice of America at every ceremonial occasion from the Super Bowl to 9/11 memorials, from presidential inaugurations to the Last Night of the Proms. Awards, encomiums, honorary doctorates and standing ovations have showered upon her.

On her home field, New York’s Metropolitan Opera, she is the only living singer apart from Placido Domingo to be honoured with a portrait on its wall of fame. Renée is queen, Renée reigns. To her credit, she has never played it safely mainstream. She has also undertaken a considerable amount of new music, as well as making forays into jazz and even rock.