Renée Fleming Will Not See Plácido Domingo Shirtless In LA

Performing together for nearly two decades, Domingo and Fleming share a moment at the Dorothy Chandler Pavillion in Los Angeles. (Photo: Al Seib/Los Angeles Times)

"'We've been trying to get Renée here for a long time. It was difficult. Her girls were in school. But now, they are grown up,' the Spanish singer said. Domingo is the general director of L.A. Opera. Domingo said he saw Fleming in Streetcar in London and was impressed by Previn's 1998 adaptation of the Tennessee Williams plays. Since Fleming appeared in a new semi-staged production last year at Carnegie Hall, he has been working to bring the opera to L.A. 'The dates have been hell,' he said. Fleming said that when she first performed "Streetcar" in 1998, she was going through a difficult personal time and that actress Julie Harris, who had played Blanche on stage, gave her a good piece of advice. 'She said that this role can get you through the day,' said Fleming. The soprano noted that this production of Streetcar features an abundance of shirtless male performers on stage, which prompted Domingo to joke that he failed the audition for the opera. 'I cannot stay onstage without my shirt,' he said." [Source] For more information about Ms. Fleming's performances of A Streetcar Named Desire, click here. Pictures of shirtless male performers from the opera production can be found after the jump.