The Washington Times
  • Subscribe
  • Times News Services
  • RSS
  • Mobile Headlines
  • e-edition
  • E-MAIL ALERTS
  • REGISTER
  • LOG IN
  • E-MAIL ALERTS
  • WELCOME
  • Your Profile
  • Log Out
  • Front Page Image
  • Classifieds
  • Autos
  • Real Estate
  • Jobs
  • Special Sections
  • Customer Service
  • Home
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Sports
    • NFL
    • NBA/WNBA
    • MLB
    • NHL
    • Tennis
    • Golf
    • Motorsports
    • Soccer
    • NCAA
    • Olympics
    • Outdoors
    • Other
  • Culture
    • Home & Living
    • Family & Kids
    • Fashion
    • Food
    • Travel
    • Health
    • Washington Visitors
    • Books
    • Military History
    • Life
    • Auto
    • TV Listings
    • Movie Listings
    • Death Notices
    • Entertainment
  • Themes
  • Communities
  • Marketplace
    • Autos
    • Jobs
    • Real Estate
    • Classifieds
    • Shopping
    • Dining Out
    • Education
    • TWT Store
  • Videos
    • Two Guys
    • Birnbaum on Washington
    • Liz Glover
    • Amanda Carpenter
    • Morning Briefing
    • Documentaries
    • Joe Giganti
    • Video Game Minute
  • Podcasts
    • About Headlines
    • Audio and Radio
    • America's Morning News
  • National

    DAVIS: Yankee hater finds love for team

  • National

    Late-season hurricane heads toward Gulf

  • Politics

    Abortion a main issue in health debate

  • Sports

    Redskins still going south

  • World

    Ex-Soviet Union struggles with Democracy

  • Politics

    Health bill faces roadblocks in Senate

  • Politics

    Lieberman vows probe of Hood rampage

Home » Blogs

Sunday, November 2, 2008

That new Carmen feel

Rate this story

Average 0.00
after 0 votes
Login or register to rate this story

Signature role never gets old for mezzo-soprano

  • Font Size -+
  • Print
  • Email
  • Comment
  • Tweet this!
  • Share
  • Article
  • Comments ()
  • Click-2-Listen
  • Videos
Please stand by, images loading!
  • Denyce Graves as Carmen (Illustration by Charlos Gary/The Washington Times)

More Blogs Stories

    By Stephen Brookes, THE WASHINGTON TIMES

    Few mezzo-sopranos in history have ever sung Carmen - the untamable gypsy at the heart of Georges Bizet's opera - with as much fire and passion as Denyce Graves.

    It's long been a signature role for the Washington native, and she's performed it hundreds of times in productions all over the world. She's so identified with it, she says, that she can't get off a concert stage without delivering at least one of its arias. This week Miss Graves takes the role up once again, in a Washington National Opera production that opens on Saturday.

    So she must be thoroughly, completely and totally sick of Carmen by now, right?

    "No, no, no!" she insists, laughing.

    "I'm always excited by a new production of Carmen, and I'm always challenged, theatrically and vocally," she says, speaking by phone from Chicago, where she's starring in a production of a new opera called "Margaret Garner," written for her by composer Richard Danielpour.

    "There's so much stimulus going on, working with people I've never worked with before. And I'm always hearing something new in Carmen," she says. "It's a masterpiece; I always hear a different color in the orchestra, and there's always something to discover. And what I want is for people to come and say, 'I saw her do it 17 years ago, and it's much better now.'"

    And in fact, this "Carmen" may prove to be Miss Graves' best yet - a mark of her triumph over career-threatening setbacks in her life.

    Raised by a single mother in a small apartment in Southwest, the singer, now 44, never had it easy. But her talent was recognized early, and after graduating from the Duke Ellington School of the Arts and honing her technique at the New England Conservatory of Music, she quickly shot into the stratosphere in the 1990s. Armed with a spectacular voice and rare dramatic talent, she became one of the world's most celebrated opera stars - largely due to her indelible portrayals of Carmen.

    But eight years ago, the fairy-tale life turned dark. As her 15-year marriage to classical guitarist David Perry collapsed, she coped with depression, debilitating headaches and serious voice problems that threatened her career. Bleeding from the vocal cords, she completely lost her voice at one point and had to stop performing. As if that weren't bad enough, her doctors cautioned her against ever having children, even suggesting a hysterectomy.

    Instead, Graves fought back. She had surgery for a fibroid tumor, divorced Mr. Perry and married again, this time to the French composer Vincent Thomas. Her voice came back, stronger than ever. And despite the pessimism of her doctors, she became pregnant and now has a healthy 4-year-old daughter, Ella.

    [Get Copyright Permissions] Click here for reprint permissions!
    Copyright 2009 The Washington Times, LLC

    12Next »

    Post a comment

    There are comments on this article, submit your opinion!

    Please login or register to post a comment

    Ask a Question

    You Report

    Do you have another point of view, photos, audio, video or more information about a story?

    Top Stories

    Most Read

    1. EXCLUSIVE: Rare virus poses new threat to troops
    2. Parents buying homes for kids at college
    3. EDITORIAL: Too scared to recognize terrorism
    4. House OKs health reform bill
    5. Inside the Beltway
    More Top Stories »
    1. Sniper's ex-wife speaks out on abuse
    2. Annandale man killed in hit-and-run
    3. Aborted fetus cells used in beauty creams
    4. Sunshine vitamin stirs new debate
    5. PRUDEN: Corpse sits up, gets nice salute

    Most Shared

    1. Parents buying homes for kids at college
    2. EXCLUSIVE: Rare virus poses new threat to troops
    3. EDITORIAL: Too scared to recognize terrorism
    4. Sunshine vitamin stirs new debate
    5. Obama's unlearned lesson
    More Top Stories »
    1. NSA surveillance -- of you?
    2. PRUDEN: Corpse sits up, gets nice salute
    3. Aborted fetus cells used in beauty creams
    4. Israelis unsure of U.S. support
    5. Looking to 2010, GOP focuses on fiscal restraint

    Most Commented

    1. House OKs health reform bill
    2. EDITORIAL: Too scared to recognize terrorism
    3. Muslims stunned by Fort Hood shooting
    4. Furious scramble for health reform support
    5. 'Gentle' Army psychiatrist displayed worrisome signs
    More Top Stories »
    1. Army chief wary of backlash against Muslim soldiers
    2. Obama praises those who ended Fort Hood violence
    3. Making fun of faith
    4. Israelis unsure of U.S. support
    5. Obama: It's Senate's turn on health care

    Listen to Washington Times Radio

    • America's Morning News

      with John McCaslin and Melanie Morgan

    Blogs & Columns

    • POTUS Notes

      New Dem talking point on Obama approval doesn't wash

    • The Back Story

      12 arrested at Pelosi's office

    • Belief Blog

      Washington goes Greek this week

    • Out of Context

      Foods that might kill libido

    • Technology

      Facebook wins round against phishing spammer

    • On the Fly

      United lifts some 'award' blocking

    • Redskins 360

      Samuels feeling better, hopeful

    • Tara's Two Cents

      On their way to summer vacation..

    • SNOBlog

      Beyond 'Woody'

    Videos

    Advertising Links
    TWT Store
    • e-edition
    • Print Edition
    • Weekly Washington Times
    TWT Affiliates
    • Middle East Times
    • Golf
    • UPI
    • Arbor Ballroom
    • Washington Times Global
    • About TWT
    • Press Room
    • F.A.Q.
    • Work for TWT
    • Advertise
    • Sponsors
    • Contact Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Site Map

    All site contents © Copyright 2009 The Washington Times, LLC.