Susan Graham

Susan Graham ( born July 23, 1960 in Roswell, New Mexico) is an American mezzo-soprano.

Life and career

Graham grew up in Texas, she graduated from Texas Tech University and the Manhattan School of Music. For 13 years, she studied piano. She won the National Council Auditions of the Metropolitan Opera and the Schwabacher Award from San Francisco Opera.

1993 the artist debuted in L' Orfeo and Falstaff at the Salzburg Festival, where she played until 2001 Annio, Cherubino, Cecilio, Iphigénie en Tauride and the composer. In 1994 she took over at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden in the title role in Massenet's Cherubin. and occurred in the sequence in many major opera houses, such as La Scala and the Met, in Paris, Seattle, Houston, Chicago, Santa Fe, but also at Glyndebourne.

Susan Graham sang major roles in several world premieres of contemporary composers, including John Harbison's The Great Gatsby ( Jordan Baker), Jake Heggie's Dead Man Walking (Sister Helen Prejean ), and Tobias Picker's An American Tragedy ( Sondra Finchley ).

The artist is also recognized as an interpreter of French songs and has been, engaged for a number of American contemporary composers such as Ned Rorem and Lowell Liebermann. In April 2003 she made her debut with a recital at Carnegie Hall, a live recording of this concert was released as a CD.

Graham sang at the second inauguration ceremony of George W. Bush in January 2005 and at the funeral of Senator Edward M. Kennedy in August 2009 ( here Schubert's Ave Maria). It also functions as delegates of the United States at UNESCO.