Secrest
Series features diva Graves
By Lia Glavin
Old Gold and Black Reviewer
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February 8, 2001
Filling
Wait Chapel with a crowd that was both young and old, mezzo-soprano
Denyce Graves put on an entertaining show capped off by two encores
the evening of Feb. 10. The singer was in the chapel as part of the
Secrest Artists Series; this gala performance also honored Black History
Month.
Backed
by the impressive Winston-Salem Symphony led by Maestro Peter Perret,
Graves’ voice filled the chapel with power and feeling. She was
even moved by the audience’s reaction to her performance, tearing
up when taking her bows.
The symphony opened with “The Moldau” by Smetana before Graves
took the stage. Their warm-up impressed as the notes from the 85-member
group filled the crowded performance space.
When Graves
appeared to sing selected numbers from Sea Pictures by Elgar, the audience
couldn’t help but notice her stage presence in a shimmering blue
Renaissance-style gown.
Her very serious manner and rich voice tread lightly over the difficult
songs. Graves’ range varied from a low, deep tone to a soft, trilling
soprano, highlighting to the songs’ melancholy lyrics.
“Elgar
wrote beautifully for the voice, even if the songs that Graves chose
to sing were not as well known as her other opera pieces,” David
Levy, the chairman of the music department, said.
After a
short intermission, Graves came back out to sing a few songs from her
most famous roles as Carmen from Bizet’s Carmen and Delilah in
Saint-Saëns’ Samson et Dalila.
This time she wore a lacy red gown with a large bustle in the back,
which fit her roles as temptresses in both shows. The crowd enjoyed
these particular songs, as they were the most familiar to non-opera
enthusiasts. Graves obviously knew these songs well, having performed
them previously at venues including New York’s Metropolitan Opera
House. Graves provided background information to the song from Samson
et Dalila, making the most of her signature pieces.
“This song is one of the prettiest mezzo-soprano melodies in repertory,”
Graves told the audience. “You can really feel her passion during
this song.”
When she returned again, she was dressed in less formal attire to sing
familiar jazz tunes such as “Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man.”
The symphony played less of a part during these songs, instead choosing
to allow Graves to emphasize her voice to create a bluesy feeling.
For her first encore, she chose to sing “The American Anthem”
by Gene Scheer, written for New York Sen. Hillary Clinton for her Save
America’s Treasures project. Graves also sang this song at President
George W. Bush’s January Inauguration. The a cappella portion of
the song, featuring Graves’ voice without the symphony’s backing,
was especially compelling.
“I liked hearing her voice alone because even though it was still
amazing with the symphony, it was interesting to hear her talent without
the other music,” sophomore Lauren Secatore said.
Graves
made her debut as the title role in Carmen at the Metropolitan Opera
in the 1995 - 96 season.
Her career
has taken her all over the world, most notably portraying Carmen and
Delilah, which she has performed in places such as Washington, D.C.,
Chicago and Japan.
Her programs usually include a classical repertoire including German
Lieder, but she mixes it with the popular music of Broadway musicals
and jazz.
“I liked how she mixed opera music with music that would be more
familiar to the audience,” freshman Sarah Ownby said. “I went
to see her out of enjoyment of opera music, but I really liked the jazz
songs as well.”
Graves also led a Feb. 12 Master Class of about 50 students from several
universities. Five students sang for Graves, who worked with them individually
on their technique. “You could hear the results in their voices
immediately,” Levy said.
She also headlined two other performances Feb. 11 and 13 at the Stevens
Center with the Winston-Salem Symphony.
Graves’s 2000-2001 season will include performances at the Metropolitan
Opera opposite Placido Domingo and a nationwide record promotional tour.
