[1][2] She attended Cornell University for two years, before completing her vocal studies at Juilliard School in New York,[3] where she received her bachelor's degree.
Renée made her debut with the San Diego Opera in 1980, singing Mimi in La Bohème opposite Pavarotti, a role she later performed with the tenor at venues such as Boston's Symphony Hall.
[4] She sang with Luciano Pavarotti at Madison Square Garden and the Hollywood Bowl, in addition to appearing with the tenor during his 2002-2003 concert tour in the United States.
[10] Renée appears in Francis Ford Coppola's Godfather III movie, singing and acting in the opera sequences from Cavalleria Rusticana.
[citation needed] Renée first met the Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti while at Juilliard, working as his secretary and receiving lessons from him.