For the first time, mezzo-soprano Susan Graham will be gracing the University with her creamy voice and perfect tone this Friday night. As one of the most accomplished classical singers of our time, Graham’s performance will no doubt be remarkable.
- Todd Weiser
- Courtesy of susangraham.com<br>
I think she likes you.
Susan Graham was born in Roswell, N.M. and studied at both Texas Tech University and the Manhattan School of Music. In the course of her distinguished career, she has won the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and has been awarded the Schwabacher Award from the San Francisco Opera’s Merola Program.
Besides being awarded recognition, Graham has performed in Handel’s “Ariodante” as the title role and has plans to continue with opera through a debut role in Lehar’s Merry Widow with the Houston Grand Opera. In the past, Ms. Graham has created roles for new works including the role of Sister Helen Prejean in the San Francisco Opera’s world premiere of “Dead Man Walking,” and the role of Jordan Baker at the Metropolitan Opera in “The Great Gatsby.”
Graham’s operatic passions, however, have not hindered her solo career. She recently released a CD of French Operetta Arias, which Entertainment Weekly named one of the best classical albums of 2002. She has also been touring Paris, Berlin, London, Lisbon and Amsterdam during the past few months.
In her Ann Arbor performance, Malcolm Martineau will accompany Graham on the piano. Her program will include works by Brahms, Alban Berg, Debussy, Poulenc and other French composers. Additionally, she will be singing one of her most well known pieces, C’est ca la vie c’est l’amour (from Toi c’est moi), which is also included on her new album. Following her performance, Graham will be interviewed by the University’s associate professor of voice, Freda Herset.