American prima donna Renee Fleming has branched out.  She is no longer just a singing star, TV host (was that embarrassing for everyone or what?) and subject of multiple dreary biographies.  Now she is also a fragrance.  Global ‘beauty’ leader Coty has produced a fragrance dedicated to La Fleming, called (no surprises here), ‘La Voce by Renee Fleming’.  It is not released until September, to coincide with the Metropolitan Opera’s Opening Night Gala featuring…you guessed it.  All profits go to the Metropolitan Opera, and at $200 US a pop, that’s potentially a lot, but it all seems so strange.  The point of La Fleming is, the appealing, easy on the ears, no questions asked Lovely Voice.  And all the infuriating mannerisms she insists on schlepping to the performance along with it.  So how does this sometimes amazing, sometimes infuriating performer translate into a fragrance?  Well according to Coty,  “La Voce by Renee Fleming opens with top notes of passion fruit and white truffle accord and transcends to a rich floral heart of jasmine and lily of the valley. Notes of dark chocolate mousse and ebony wood winds complete this luxurious fragrance.”   That sounds so busy.  Is it a fragrance or a three course meal at Café Des Artistes?  The cross-fetishising of these two luxury items, Perfume and Opera, is a shock even to me, and I am used to bizarre things happening in the world of Art.  This is, I feel, one of those things which will be looked back on with a ‘can you believe we actually thought of that’ attitude. And the packaging (pictured left) really does have to be seen to be believed, proof that gay men should be supervised by at least one straight man when devising anything. Also, in the ‘irony’ section of this rant, and I must say, on a rather vulgar note, has anyone actually smelled an opera singer at the end of a show? Its not fun. Make up melts under the savage lights of a theatre and blends with sweat to form a unique and utterly unforgettable fragrance all its own; Canal no. 5.   Am determined in this post not to go on and on and on about the evils of the ‘Beauty’ industry, the sole purpose of which seems to be the mass lowering of self esteem by way of millions upon millions of dollars worth of advertising featuring genetic freaks who make up .001 of the world’s population, convincing the rest of us to spend what money we have on the purchase and consumption of one product or another which we tell ourselves will one day make us look like the people in the billboard, and then a rich and beautiful person will give us money and sex.  That this evil and destructive ideology is now extending to the world of Opera, where actual talent rules (supermodels have no talent, despite what anyone tells you, they walk up and down for a living, they should not to be rewarded for something they had no part in creating, they are to be reviled, loathed, spat upon, and in my opinion should be hunted for sport) is disturbing to say the least.  Anyway, like I said, I do not want to go on about the Fashion/Beauty industry, so I won’t.  Getting back to La Voce,  I am also a little disappointed by the name given this sensory hybrid.  ’La Voce by Renee Fleming’.  So predictable.  I personally would have gone with something a little more imaginative, possibly stemming from the world inhabited by La Fleming.  Perhaps even stealing from the titles of various operas…hmmm…Alternate Titles could include:                                  

Boulevard Solitude – which Fleming never sang, possibly as there is no possible spot for applause.  Great title for a perfume though. 

The Fiery Angel – which Fleming never sang, possibly as doing so is considered vocal suicide. 

Saint François d’Anisse – originally Saint François d’Assise - too specific?

Street Scent – originally Street Scene – wrong message?

Smelly – originally Semele – too blatant?

The Tender Loin – originally The Tender Land – good joke, keep for later

Das Parfum der Heliane – originally Das Wunder der Heliane…snore…

Lady Macbeth of Musk – originally Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk…I like that one