Denyce Graves is recognized world-wide as an exciting vocal star. In recent seasons her debuts and reengagements have been met with acclaim on four continents.

A native of Washington D.C., Ms. Graves attended the Duke Ellington School for the Performing Arts, and received her education at Oberlin College Conservatory and the New England Conservatory.

Since then, she has performed in some of the world's leading opera houses under some very distinguished batons; she gave her Met debut as Carmen in 1995. She also stared there in the lead role of Delilah in Saint-Saen's Samson et Delilah and in Stravinsky's The Rake's Progress in the role of Baba the Turk.

Among her numerous awards and prizes are the 1990 Grand Prix du Concours International de Chant de Paris, The Eleanor Steber Music Award from Opera Columbus. She also received the Grand Prix Lyrique from l'Opera de Monte Carlo, and Philadelphia's very own Marion Anderson Award.

Additionally, Ms. Graves was named one of the "50 Leaders of Tomorrow" by Ebony magazine, New York magazine's (December 2001) "The Critics Top 10 List," and was Glamour magazine's 1997 "Women of the Year." In 1999 WQXR Radio in New York named her as one of classical music's "Standard Bearers for the 21st Century."

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 the year.

However, before Ms. Graves became a celebrated mezzo-soprano, she was the middle child of a single mom growing up in Southwest Washington D.C. The family had a singing group, the Inspirational Children of God, which toured churches signing gospel music.

Ms. Graves acknowledges that church choirs began her music education, but the public schools, and one influential teacher, Judith Grove, clearly nurtured it into fruition.

As a mentor from kindergarten through high school, Ms. Grove personally drove Denyce Graves to her Saturday rehearsals, guided her through the admissions process to the Duke Ellington School for the Performing Arts, and organized fundraising performances to pay for tuition costs.

Recognizing the tremendous value and influence of such mentorship, Denyce Graves is intensely committed to including inner city and underprivileged children at her concerts, free-of-charge, in an effort to serve and inspire young African-American and Hispanic children.

Creative Response

1. Write a letter to Ms. Graves.
2. Do a portrait of her singing in an opera.
3. Download sheet music for music from the opera Carmen.

   Watch Denyce Graves performing "Habanera" from the program "Denyce Graves: Breaking the Rules." (Requires Quicktime.)

   Write how it makes you feel.