Siren's Song

JULIANNE MOORE has never been afraid to make herself heard. RENEE FLEMING finds the star of this month’s Bel Canto in full voice— and full couture.

- Renee Fleming

Julianne Moore is at the center of Bel Canto, a stylish and affecting drama, out this month, based on Ann Patchett’s best-selling 2001 novel of the same name. Moore plays Roxane, a world-class opera singer taken hostage while performing at a politician’s party in South America, but it’s a role she did not create alone. Roxane’s singing voice—the thing that has made her famous and that, in a way, could save her life—is provided by the opera star Renée Fleming, whose own soprano is the voice Patchett had in mind when she wrote the character. “It was a specific decision to ask Renée to do the voice of the character. What I was hoping for was some sort of alchemy,” says the film’s director, Paul Weitz. “With actors you’re always hoping to get out of their way to help them find their character. I knew that if I got out of the way of Julianne and Renée, that’s what would happen.” During a long conversation at Fleming’s Manhattan home, she and Moore discussed the film, the differences between acting and singing opera, and the importance, in both, of making sure your voice is heard.

Renée Fleming: Bel Canto is coming out, and I’m glad. I know Ann Patchett has waited for this for so long.

Julianne Moore: Have you spoken to her?

RF: We’re in touch on a regular basis. I’m sure she’s happy that it’s happening with you. My story of how I found out about Bel Canto is that people thought the book was written about me. You must have thought I wasn’t a very nice person when you read it.

JM: That’s not true!

RF: Were you familiar with the book, or any of Ann’s work?