DENCYE GRAVES
MEZZO-SOPRANODENYCE GRAVES
MEZZO-SOPRANO
ABOUT
Recognized as “an operatic superstar of the 21st century” by USA Today, mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves’ career has garnered unparalleled popular and critical acclaim. Ms. Graves’ acclaimed appearances as Carmen and Dalila in Samson et Dalila have resounded in the world’s greatest opera houses, and her success has been recognized in notable television appearances, interviews, masterclasses, and magazines. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution exclaims, “If the human voice has the power to move you, you will be touched by Denyce Graves.”
In the 2023-2024 season, Ms. Graves returns to the Metropolitan Opera as Sally in The Hours and makes her Seattle Opera debut in Das Rheingold as Erda. In addition, Ms. Graves will be the director for the world premiere of Loving v. Virginia with Virginia Opera in a co-production with Richmond Symphony for their 2024-2025 season.
In the 2022-2023 season, Ms. Graves returned to Minnesota Opera and The Glimmerglass Festival for her directorial debut in two new productions of Carmen. Minneapolis’ Star Tribune wrote, “…in her first directing job, opera star Denyce Graves delivers a superlative staging.” Ms. Graves also returned to the Metropolitan Opera in Peter Grimes as Auntie and in the world premiere of The Hours as Sally, as well as the title role in Glimmerglass Festival’s production of The Passion of Mary Cardwell Dawson. In recital, Ms. Graves continues to collaborate with Laura Ward, notably presenting her recital program Cotton with Lyric Fest and Washington Performing Arts where she was presented with the Inaugural Ruth Bader Ginsburg Memorial Fund Award.
Her full opera recordings include Gran Vestale in La vestale, recorded live from La Scala with Riccardo Muti for Sony Classical; Queen Gertrude in Thomas’s Hamlet for EMI Classics; Maddalena in Rigoletto with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra under James Levine; and Emilia in Otello with Plácido Domingo and the Opéra de Paris, Bastille Orchestra under Myung-Whun Chung, both for Deutsche Grammophon.
Ms. Graves is a native of Washington, D.C., where she attended the Duke Ellington School for the Performing Arts. She continued her education at Oberlin College Conservatory of Music and the New England Conservatory. She is the Artistic Director and Founder of The Denyce Graves Foundation which aims to promote equity and inclusion in American classical vocal arts through an unprecedented approach: championing the hidden musical figures of the past while uplifting young artists of world-class talent from all backgrounds. The foundation has been featured on Good Morning America and The New York Times Style Magazine for its successful programs. Ms. Graves’ dedication to the singers of the next generation continues to be an important part of her career; she is a member of the voice faculty at the Peabody Institute, and a distinguished visiting faculty member at The Juilliard School.
RECENT PRAISE
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
If the human voice has the power to move you, you will be touched by Denyce Graves.”
NEWS
The Denyce Graves Foundation and Washington Chamber Orchestra to Present “Empowering Voices”
The Denyce Graves Foundation has teamed up with Washington Chamber Orchestra to present a new concert cycle: Empowering Voices. The special events, held on March 22 at Bethel Presbyterian Church in Ellicott City, MD and on March 23 at the JHU Bloomberg Center in Washington, DC will feature talented young
Watch Renée Fleming, Denyce Graves and Kyle Ketelsen in “The Hours” on PBS from March 17
Renée Fleming stars as Clarissa Vaughan in Great Performances at The Met: The Hours, premiering on PBS (check local listings) on Friday, March 17 9:00 PM. She is joined by Denyce Graves as Sally and Kyle Ketelsen as Richard in the Phelim McDermott production of Kevin Puts’ new opera, conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin. Inspired by Virginia
The Denyce Graves Foundation Celebrates its 2nd Anniversary on Good Morning America
The Denyce Graves Foundation, founded by mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves, celebrates its second anniversary today. In line with celebrations, Graves will appear on Good Morning America in an interview with Robin Roberts, discussing the foundation and its HBCU/ Conservatory initiative Shared Voices. The US audience can tune in via ABC Live Stream at 8AM EST.
Denyce Greaves Directs Bizet’s “Carmen” with the Minnesota Opera
Soprano Denyce Greaves directs Minnesota Opera’s rendition of Bizet’s Carmen, now showing at the Ordway Music Theatre, Minnesota. The production also stars Maya Lahyani and Zoie Reams as the title role in alternating casts. Carmen at the Ordway marks a homecoming return for Denyce, who starred as the title role with the Minnesota Opera in
Denyce Graves Honoured at 2022 Opera News Awards
Denyce Graves received the Opera News Award on the 3 April 2022 for her contributions to the opera world and classical music. The other honourees were Quinn Kelsey and Elza van den Heever. Hosted at the Plaza Hotel, this year was the seventeenth annual awards ceremony and marked the Metropolitan Opera
Denyce Graves Joins Juilliard as Distinguished Visiting Faculty
Mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves—who has been a fixture in the world’s opera houses and on its concert stages for the past quarter-century—will join Juilliard’s Marcus Institute for Vocal Arts as a distinguished visiting faculty member, beginning this month. When making the announcement, Juilliard President Damian Woetzel said, “I am honored on behalf
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