Recognized worldwide as one of today's most exciting vocal stars, Denyce Graves continues to inspire popular and critical acclaim for her performances on four continents.

Her career has taken her to the world's great opera houses and concert halls. Known for her expressive vocalism and charismatic stage presence, she pursues a wide range of operatic portrayals and has frequently appeared in concert with internationally renowned orchestras.

Denyce Graves made her Metropolitan Opera debut in the 1995-96 season in the title role of Bizet's Carmen. She returned the following season to sing the role in the Met's opening night opposite Placido Domingo. She is now considered her generation's top interpreter of this role and is sought after by opera houses around the world.

Ms. Graves regularly appears on radio and television as a musical performer, celebrity guest, and as the subject of documentaries. She has been a frequent visitor to popular television shows including Sesame Street, The Charlie Rose Show, and Larry King Live. In 1996 she was the subject of an Emmy-award-winning profile on CBS' 60 Minutes.

Denyce Graves has performed in many recordings of operas and in recital. Her recordings also include Denyce Graves: A Cathedral Christmas, The Lost Days, featuring jazz musicians in Latin songs in the Spanish and Portuguese languages, and Church, which brings together African-American divas from various genres of music, all of whom were first exposed to music through church.

In 2003 Denyce Graves was appointed a Cultural Ambassador for the United States, and she now travels around the world under the auspices of the State Department appearing in good-will missions. She is the recipient of many awards, including the Grand Prix du Concours International de Chant de Paris, a grant from the Richard Tucker Music Foundation, the Grand Prix Lyrique, and the Marian Anderson Award.

She 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 was named one of the "50 Leaders of Tomorrow" by Ebony Magazine and was one of Glamour Magazine's 1997 "Women of the Year." Denyce Graves has been invited on several occasions to perform in recital at the White House, and she provides many benefit performances for various causes special to her throughout each season.