Denyce Graves as Carmen...

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 10/11/05 at 11:34am

Can we just say HOT!!!

[chess12]

Posted: 10/11/05 at 11:48am

I sang in the chorus of a semi-staged CARMEN with Ms. Graves. HOT doesn't begin to describe her. GLORIOUS, ASTOUNDING, BEAUTIFUL, SEXY! That's just the beginning.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 10/11/05 at 12:02pm

But if you had to have a Carmen with only one adjective I would choose HOT! (Yes, she is all those other things, but dang, she is HOT!)

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 10/11/05 at 12:04pm

i'm seeing Carmen on Saturday afternoon!

[FranziaRebel]

Posted: 10/11/05 at 12:09pm

I normally love here too, but recently I heard a broadcast of her doing Azucena and it was remarkabley bad. I kept thinking they were going to announce that it was her cover singing and not her.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 10/11/05 at 12:12pm

I have heard her sound not so pretty, as well. But her Carmen is the whole package. This is the role she was born to do. I have not seen her in any other operatic role, just in concert on TV and sometimes she is a bit much, but not this time.

Posted: 10/11/05 at 12:46pm

She's a delight! I've grown to just ignore the huge hole in the middle of the voice and love her for what she is.... and I hear she makes a great chicken pot pie!
Updated On: 10/11/05 at 12:46 PM

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 10/11/05 at 12:54pm

Here is a nice piece from the Trib.
Graves Article

Posted: 10/11/05 at 1:02pm

She's a nice lady!

That's what opera should be made of nice ladies!

Posted: 10/11/05 at 1:02pm

"You can't subpoena ME! I have the voice of an angel! You LOUSE!" Updated On: 10/11/05 at 01:02 PM

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 10/11/05 at 2:28pm

Graves was remarkable several (7 - 10) years ago when I saw her Carmen and Delilah, but her instrument has not aged well. I'm not sure if it's from having too busy a schedule or from singing too heavy a repertoire (she should NOT be singing Azucena) but all of the luster and sheen are gone and large gaps in her registers have appeared. Ideally, she should take off a year or so for some vocal rest and re-tooling, but with her international schedule, that'll never happen.

[Barihunk]

Posted: 10/11/05 at 2:40pm

Looking forward to her "Margaret Garner" in Philly in February. Reports are she is quite spectacular in it. While I loved her Carmen circa 1998, I've grown tired of hearing her sing the same 3 roles (Carmen, Dalila and Maddalena). Her "La Perichole" here a few years ago was a mess. Since "Margaret Garner" was written for her, hopefully it will show her off to her best current vocal estate.

Posted: 10/11/05 at 2:45pm

BRILLIANT - Margo!

Great insight - would love an opinion of America's Sweetheart, Fleming!

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 10/11/05 at 3:00pm

I haven't heard Fleming in the last couple of years (though I've gotten several bad reports from friends about her).

At one time, hers was the most gorgeous lyric soprano voice on the planet (I'll never forget seeing her Desdemona opposite Domingo -- I think that was her Met debut). From what I've heard, that's no longer the case. Too bad.

My two favorites (whom I also haven't heard in a while) were Deborah Voigt and Dolora Zajik. Are they still as terrific as they were a few years ago?

Updated On: 10/11/05 at 03:00 PM

[hannahshule]

Posted: 10/11/05 at 3:03pm

Pardon my ignorance, but who is Denyce Graves?
i know, I know, I've already done a search engine, but seeing as you're all knowledgable (sp?) maybe you could help too.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 10/11/05 at 3:05pm

It really goes to show how small a window certain singers have to capitalize on their talent. It explains why they release so many Cd's and perform so often. You have to get it while you can. Sills was a smart cookie.
But if you are talking strictly VOICE then, yes, Graves is maybe not the Carmen I would choose to buy a recording of, but for stage presence and star quality, like I said, she has the package.
Margo, she talks about her voice problems in the article I linked.

Posted: 10/11/05 at 3:49pm

I heard Graves do Carmen in the House (Met)....

I found it well thought out but a shade too small......

Heard her Dalila (Met) - found it a shade too small..

Then I heard she was going to do Azucena - until the Pav stepped in - took her aside and told her she was nutz - and to think twice about it...

she dropped it..

Too many roles - sung too many times - in too big a house will cause forcing....I mean when you feel compelled to force your MIDDLE, babe, you are in trouble...

Thus - the voice begins to come apart - it takes time - but it happens..

[hannahshule]

Posted: 10/11/05 at 4:16pm

is she the scary women in voiceanth's avatar?

Posted: 10/11/05 at 4:23pm

The woman is MARIA CALLAS! and she is the greatest singer who ever breathed!
Updated On: 10/11/05 at 04:23 PM

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 10/11/05 at 4:36pm

I got turned off to Graves a few years ago when there was some documentary about her and either during a rehearsal or after a performance (the curtain was down), she was having some throat problems, and THREW HERSELF ON THE GROUND. It was just beyond beyond.

[Barihunk]

Posted: 10/11/05 at 5:00pm

Margo - Voigt and Zajick are still singing up a storm. Maybe Voigt a little more than Zajick. You can check them both out at the MET this season - Voigt in "Forza del Destino" and Zajick in the world premier of Pickers "An American Tragedy". La Renee of course is there right now in "Manon" which I hear she is singing quite well. I too loved her Desdemona - her debut was actually back in 1991 as a last minute replacement Countess in "Nozze di Figaro". I find most of her singing these days to be marred by self-indulgent wooping and scooping (what one of my college voice teachers called "vocal masturbation"). When she sings a clean legato line however, there is nobody better out there today.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 10/11/05 at 5:52pm

[wickedwitchofthechest]

Posted: 10/19/05 at 7:23pm

Sad to hear that about Renee. I saw her perform about four years ago, and she was absolutely breathtaking.

Of course, the voice certainly isn't everything, as Maria Callas proved time and again, ruining her voice by singing roles that were far too dramatic for it. I personally cannot stand to hear her sing, but a professor I worked with who knew her personally said she that when she walked out onstage, no one cared.

Does anyone know anything about what Dawn Upshaw's been doing lately? Her voice isn't as enormous or dramatic as these other divas, but it's lovely and has aged well, and she's one of the few opera singers whose musical theater repertoire I actually enjoy listening to.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 10/19/05 at 7:27pm

As I said on another post, Renee sang and acted beautifully in Manon this season.