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Denyce Graves: The "Down-to-Earth" Diva
By Debra
A. Henry The title, Diva, connotes vanity and arrogance; however, Opera
Singer Denyce Graves is not your typical Prima Donna. Although her fans love her
rich melodious voice, adore her regal stage presence and affiliate with her familiar
personal history, it is her unpretentious manner that makes her so popular with
her public. Her lilting conversational voice, replete with easy laughter and vocal
passion, is demonstrative that when she talks she relates to the listener. This
cordiality is only one of her many gifts. The phrase, "To whom much
is given, much is expected", may be used to describe the personal responsibility
that Ms. Graves accepts by freely giving of herself and her resources to enrich
the lives of others. The Mezzo-soprano feels that part of her purpose in life
is to make Opera accessible to everyone. "I acknowledge that Opera has the
stereotype of elitism, but Opera is an expression of the Human Experience,"
she shares. She receives email from young [African-Americans] that oppose her
music. But what she tries to communicate to her young critics is the fact that
"Music is at the core of our African-American experience. I was first exposed
to music in the church. My whole family sings, even those who cannot sing."
Equating Opera with beauty, she does not criticize the musical preferences of
others; rather, she notes that there are differences between genres and that each
type of music has its import. As a means of sharing her art with others,
Ms. Graves tries to place her music within the reach of many who would not traditionally
have access to it. The Washington, D.C. native acknowledges that a night at the
opera is costly and may be beyond the reach of many. Consequently, she purchases
50 tickets per recital or concert to distribute to young people who would not
otherwise have the opportunity to attend her performances. Her staff frequently
schedules community outreach "Meet and Greet" events so that she can
mingle with the public. In addition, Ms. Graves teaches Master Classes for voice
students in many of the cities in which she performs. She is in the process of
establishing "The Denyce Graves Foundation" to benefit arts education.
Her foundation will establish initiatives to provide music education in the schools. Ms.
Graves' philanthropic pursuits are of great importance to her. She espouses the
concept of personal accountability to one's community. "If you are not doing
something about the problem, then you are contributing to it," Ms. Graves
states. "You don't have to be rich to make a contribution [to your community]…"Give
your energy." In the wake of the September 11th attacks, she appeared on
the "Oprah Winfrey Show" in a live musical program Healing Through
Gospel Music. Ms. Graves related a story concerning students who had a bake
sale to assist the firemen who served during the crisis. Ms. Winfrey challenged
the children that they don't have to hold a bake sale in order to be helpful.
One can make a difference by changing one's attitude. For Ms. Graves, the point
of the anecdote is that one should give what one has to give. She resounds, "We
need to change who we are and how we deal with each other." In this manner,
everyone can contribute and be a part of the solution.  Despite
the hustle and bustle that is her life, Ms. Graves is centered and spiritual.
Her elegance, dignity and composure are maintained even under the most trying
life circumstances. Her career is no Cinderella Story; rather, her success came
by way of hard work, the pursuit of excellence and the refinement of her God-given
talent. Her personal history is a recognizable one: raised by her mother with
her siblings in the inner city, singing in her Church as a young girl, receiving
her education in the public school system. Her voice was nurtured at the Duke
Ellington School for the Performing Arts in the District of Columbia. She attended
Oberlin College Conservatory of Music and the New England Conservatory. From that
point, she made her way through the rigorous ranks of the classical music world.
Today, she not only has a wide repertoire, but she also is the definitive selection
for the title role in Carmen as well as the categorical choice for any
major production of Samson and Dalila.
In her career, racism has
been a familiar obstacle but not an insurmountable one. She recalls a situation
in which she was not the designer's first choice for the role of Giulietta in
The Tales of Hoffman, "when he was designing the role he did not envision
a brown face." For many days, this designer refused to greet her or acknowledge
her at rehearsals. To her credit, she remained steadfast by showing up for rehearsal
everyday, prepared for her role, ready to work, and open to direction. By the
end of the engagement, this designer was friendly and complimentary. Ms. Graves
recognized that "ignorance is innocence." She maintained her composure
throughout and rendered compassion for this man's shortcoming. As a woman of color,
she "embraces the experience" of adversity with the application of her
talent and the expectation of excellence. Despite her worldwide fame, her
grueling schedule and her charitable concerns, it is necessary that Ms. Graves
take time to relax. She does this in the ways that many of us do--she enjoys manicures,
pedicures and massages. She is a self-professed "Spa Queen." If she
has an unscheduled day, you may find her shopping: "I love to hang out at
Wal-Mart, I am a regular there." Her hobbies include antique collecting and
crafts. Reading is of particular importance to her. She is currently reading Friendship
with God: An Uncommon Dialogue by Neale Donald Walsch. The singer needs quiet
pursuits. Her body is her instrument that must rest in order to respond to the
challenges of each performance. Silence is cherished as it provides her time to
think, organize and recharge. A most important outlet for relaxation and
reconnection is spending time with her husband, family and friends. They are a
source of solace and support. She credits her husband, Mr. David Perry, as thoughtful
and tolerant: "he suffers me all of my faults. He understands my psyche as
he is also a musician." Her family, friends in the business and childhood
friends who knew her when she was just "Nycie" are all-important relationships
that contribute to her success and stability. Despite the fact that she has toured
the world, her favorite vacation spot is no specific destination. With respect
to leisure travel, she reveals, "It is not about the place; it is about the
person that I am with." The life of this Opera Singer never slows down.
As one of the most sought after classical vocal performers of our time, she has
a Latin CD that will be released in 2003 and her engagement calendar is booked
solid through 2006. Ms. Graves' schedule is filled with rehearsals, performances,
and public appearances; however, this does not bar her from relating to people.
Whether in public performance or in private conversation, her effortless ability
to connect with audiences and individuals endears her to her fans and wins her
respect from her colleagues. This rare mix of her glorious voice, gentle humility,
sound spirituality and uncommon grace is the essence of this "Down-to-Earth"
Diva. To learn more about the life and work of Denyce Graves, you may
visit her website, www.denycegraves.com.
Copyright © 2003 Debra A. Henry
Image credits: www.denycegraves.com
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