Life and career

Susan Graham was born in Roswell, New Mexico on July 23, 1960. She grew up in Midland, Texas, and graduated from Texas Tech University and the Manhattan School of Music. Her teachers included Cynthia Hoffmann and Marlena Malas. She practiced piano for 13 years. She won an award in the Metropolitan Opera's National Council Auditions and received the Schwabacher Award from the Merola Program of San Francisco Opera.

Graham made her first international appearance at Covent Garden in 1994, performing the role of Chérubin in Massenet's opera. She has also performed in the first productions of several modern operas, including John Harbison's The Great Gatsby (as Jordan Baker), Jake Heggie's Dead Man Walking (as Sister Helen Prejean), and Tobias Picker's An American Tragedy (as Sondra Finchley).

Graham is well-known for performing songs from the French repertoire and works by modern American composers, such as Ned Rorem and Lowell Liebermann. She gave her first recital at Carnegie Hall in April 2003, and a recording of this performance was later released.

Graham sang "Bless This House" at George W. Bush's second inauguration on January 20, 2005, and performed Schubert's "Ave Maria" at the nationally televised funeral mass for Senator Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts on August 29, 2009. She serves as a US delegate for UNESCO.

Opera roles

Her operatic roles include:

• Dominick Argento's The Aspern Papers – performed the role of Sonia in 1990 and Tina in 2013
• Samuel Barber's Vanessa – performed the role of Erika
• Alban Berg's Lulu – performed the role of Countess Geschwitz at the Metropolitan Opera in 2015
• Hector Berlioz's Béatrice et Bénédict – performed the role of Béatrice in 1997
• Hector Berlioz's La damnation de Faust – performed the role of Marguerite at La Scala and the Metropolitan Opera in November 2008
• Hector Berlioz's Les Troyens – performed the role of Didon at Théâtre du Châtelet (Paris), the Metropolitan Opera, and San Francisco Opera
• Marc Blitzstein's Regina – performed the role of Regina Giddens in 2018
• Christoph Willibald Gluck's Iphigénie en Tauride – performed the role of Iphigénie
• Alexander Goehr's Arianna – performed the role of Arianna
• Charles Gounod's Roméo et Juliette – performed the role of Stephano at Seattle Opera
• George Frideric Handel's Alcina – performed the role of Ruggerio
• George Frideric Handel's Xerxes – performed the title role of Serse at San Francisco Opera
• George Frideric Handel's Ariodante – performed the role of Ariodante at Houston Grand Opera and San Francisco Opera
• John Harbison's The Great Gatsby – performed the role of Jordan Baker in 1999
• Jake Heggie's Dead Man Walking – performed the role of Sister Helen Prejean
• Jake Heggie's Three Decembers – performed the role of Madeline Mitchell at Opera San Jose
• Franz Lehár's The Merry Widow – performed the role of Hanna Glawari (the title character)
• Jules Massenet's Werther – performed the role of Charlotte at the Royal Opera House
• Jules Massenet's Chérubin – performed the role of Chérubin
• Claudio Monteverdi's L'incoronazione di Poppea – performed the role of Poppea
• Claudio Monteverdi's Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria – performed the role of Minerva
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Così fan tutte – performed the role of Dorabella
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Don Giovanni – performed the role of Donna Elvira at the Lyric Opera of Chicago
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Idomeneo – performed the role of Idamante at the Houston Grand Opera, Palais Garnier (Paris)
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's La clemenza di Tito – performed the role of Sesto at the Opéra National de Paris and in concert performances
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro – performed the role of Cherubino at the Metropolitan Opera
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Lucio Silla – performed the role of Cecilio at the Santa Fe Opera
• Tobias Picker's An American Tragedy – performed the role of Sondra Finchley at the Metropolitan Opera world premiere
• Henry Purcell's Dido and Aeneas – performed the roles of Sorceress and Dido
• Gioachino Rossini's Il barbiere di Siviglia – performed the role of Rosina
• Richard Strauss's Ariadne auf Naxos – performed the role of Composer at the Metropolitan Opera, Royal Opera House, and Glyndebourne
• Richard Strauss's Der Rosenkavalier – performed the role of Octavian
• Giuseppe Verdi's Falstaff – performed the role of Meg Page

Awards

• 2001 – Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters (Chevalier dans l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres)
• June 2005 – Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters
• 2004 – Musical America Vocalist of the Year
• 2004 – Grammy Award for Best Classical Vocal Performance for her album Ives: Songs (The Things Our Fathers Loved; The Housatonic At Stockbridge, Etc.)
• 2005 – Opera News Award
• September 5, 2006 – Midland, Texas held its first annual "Susan Graham Day"
• May 2008 – Honorary Doctorate from Manhattan School of Music

Some of her recordings have also received awards. See below.

Recordings

• Pulcinella by Stravinsky. Performed by the Seattle Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Gerard Schwarz. Delos Records, catalog number 3100.

• Scenes from Goethe's Faust by Schumann. Features Bryn Terfel, Karita Mattila, Jan-Hendrik Rootering, Barbara Bonney, Endrik Wottrich, Iris Vermillion, Brigitte Poschner-Klebel, Susan Graham, Hans Peter Blochwitz, Harry Peeters. Conducted by Claudio Abbado with the Berliner Philharmoniker. Sony Classical, catalog number 66308.

• Roméo et Juliette by Charles Gounod. Performed by Plácido Domingo, Ruth Ann Swenson, Miles, Kurt Ollmann, Susan Graham, Alain Vernhes, Paul Charles Clarke. Conducted by Leonard Slatkin with the Bayerischen Rundfunkorchester und chor and Münchner Rundfunkorchester. RCA, catalog number 68440.

• Béatrice et Bénédict by Berlioz. Features Catherine Robbin (Ursule), Gabriel Bacquier (Somarone), Gilles Cachemaille (Claudio), Jean-Luc Viala (Bénédict), Philippe Magnant (Léonato), Susan Graham (Béatrice), Sylvia McNair (Héro), Vincent le Texier (Don Pedro). Conducted by John Nelson with the Lyon Opera Orchestra and Chorus. MusiFrance, catalog number 2292.

• The Gold & Silver Gala. Graham performs a duet with Plácido Domingo in "Là ci darem la mano." EMI Classics, catalog number 56337.

• Les nuits d'été and Opera Arias by Berlioz. Includes Les nuits d'été Op. 7 and songs from La Damnation De Faust Op. 24, Benvenuto Cellini, Les Troyens, Béatrice et Bénédict. Conducted by John Nelson with the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House. Sony, catalog number 62730.

• La Belle Époque – The Songs of Reynaldo Hahn. Performed by Roger Vignoles (piano). Awards: Winner of the Performance Today "Critic's Choice" Award; the 1999 Caecilia Prize; Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik critic's award; Choc du Monde de la Musique; Opera International's Timbre de Platine. Sony, catalog number 60168.

• Debussy La Damoiselle élue. Features Sylvia McNair, Susan Graham, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Seiji Ozawa. Philips, catalog number 446682 (includes Ravel: Shéhérazade and Britten Les illuminations).

• Strauss: Der Rosenkavalier Act 1 – closing scene; Act 3 – Trio and finale; Arabella Act 1 duet; Capriccio – closing scene. Performed by Renée Fleming (Marschallin), Barbara Bonney, Susan Graham (Octavian). Conducted by Christoph Eschenbach with the Vienna PO. Decca, catalog number 466 314-2.

• Songs of Ned Rorem. Performed by Malcolm Martineau (piano). Includes settings of poems by Paul Goodman, Theodore Roethke, Witter Bynner, Tennyson, Walt Whitman, and others. Erato, catalog number 80222.

• Alcina by Handel. Features Renée Fleming, Susan Graham, Natalie Dessay, Kathleen Kuhlmann, Timothy Robinson, Laurent Naouri, Juanita Lascarro, Michael Loughlin-Smith, Maurizio Rossano, Laurent Collobert, Eric Demarteau. Conducted by William Christie with Les Arts Florissants. Erato, catalog number 80233.

• Berlioz: L'enfance du Christ; Three Irlande songs; Sara la baigneuse. Performed by Susan Graham, François Le Roux, John Mark Ainsley. Conducted by Dutoit with the Montreal SO and Chorus. Decca.

• Il tenero momento by Mozart and Gluck. Performed by the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, conducted by Harry Bicket. Erato. Awards: Best Recital Disc in 2001 (The Gramophone), German Echo Klassik award, Prix Gabriel Fauré, and the Grand Prix (Académie du disque).

• Dead Man Walking by Heggie. Features Susan Graham, Catherine Cook, Robert Orth, Frederica von Stade, Nicolle Foland, David Harper. Conducted by Patrick Summers with the San Francisco Opera Orchestra. Erato, catalog number 86238-2.

• C'est ça la vie, c'est ça l'amour (Songs by Moïse Simons, Messager, Maurice Yvain, Honegger, Hahn, and Mahler). Performed by the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Yves Abel. Erato, catalog number 42106.

• At Carnegie Hall (Songs by Brahms, Debussy, Berg, Poulenc, Messager, Moïse Simons, Hahn, Mahler, and Ben Moore). Performed by Malcolm Martineau (piano). Erato, catalog number 2564 60295-2.

• Songs (Ives). 2005 Grammy Award for Best Classical Vocal Performance. Performed by Pierre-Laurent Aimard (piano), Emmanuel Pahud (flute), Tabea Zimmermann (viola). Warner Classics, catalog number 2564 60297-2 (with Concord Sonata).

• Vanessa by Barber. Features Susan Graham (Erika), Christine Brewer (Vanessa), William Burden (Anatol), Michael Davis, Neal Davies (The Old Doctor), Catherine Wyn-Rogers (Old Baroness), Simon Birchall (Nicholas), Stephen Charlesworth (Footman), BBC Singers (Servants, Guests), conducted by Richard Strauss. Avie, catalog number 82193600362.

• Berlioz: L'enfance du Christ; Three Irlande songs; Sara la baigneuse. Performed by Susan Graham, François Le Roux, John Mark Ainsley. Conducted by Dutoit with the Montreal SO and Chorus. Decca.

• Il tenero momento by Mozart and Gluck. Performed by the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, conducted by Harry Bicket. Erato. Awards: Best