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GODS of ballet, baseball, and opera turned out to honor high-culture machers inclusing opera director Francesca Zambello on Monday Night. In front of Mikhail Baryshnikov, Cal Ripkin Jr., and Andrea Bocell...The evening, the Denyce Graves Foundation's Harvest Moon Gala, held at Guastavino's in Sutton Place, was emceed by Deborah Roberts.

The world-renowned Italian tenor, 67, and wife Veronica Berti Bocelli, 41, attended the Denyce Graves Foundation Harvest Moon Gala in New York on Oct. 6, emceed by Deborah Roberts. Bocelli was one of several honorees of the evening, performing selections from Puccini’s La Bohème.

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Speaking to the crowd before he started to sing, Bocelli praised Graves, best known for her iconic role in the opera Carmen, as "really a great big friend of mine" and called their work together "an incredible experience that I keep place in my heart.

As witnessed at the gala kickoff, DGF celebrates trailblazing musicians, music educators, and composers of color and is committed to genuine representation in American vocal arts by providing the opportunities, access, and exposure that all singers need to take ownership of their talent and navigate their own rewarding careers.

Opera singer Denyce Graves-Montgomery shares how to find your voice, range, breath, and, ultimately, your truth. "Think Like A Musician" connects you with working musicians who want to help the music-curious and music-passionate hone and share the gift of music with the world. Part interview, part animated course, our first season "Think Like A Performer" features artists sharing their insight.

OPERA America is pleased to announce the induction of nine exemplary artists, administrators, and advocates to the Opera Hall of Fame as the class of 2025.

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Established on the occasion of OPERA America’s 50th anniversary in 2020 to help celebrate the progress of the industry, the Opera Hall of Fame recognizes the achievements of outstanding Americans and Canadians who have strengthened the art form and the field. The 2025 inductees join a distinguished roster of honorees who are recognized prominently in OPERA America’s National Opera Center.

World-renowned opera star Denyce Graves-Montgomery will receive the 2025 Service to America Leadership Award from the National Association of Broadcasters Leadership Foundation (NABLF) for her philanthropic efforts and dedication to supporting the next generation of vocal artists and musicians. The award will be presented during the Celebration of Service to America Awards ceremony on June 10, 2025, at The Anthem in Washington, D.C. 

In advance of Washington National Opera’s May 2025 performances of Porgy and Bess, Artistic Director Francesca Zambello and mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves explore the behind-the-scenes research and thinking that goes into creating a backstory for a character.

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Pictured above is Denyce Graves, in the REACH at the Kennedy Center, with Dr. Karen M. Bryan, coauthor of Blackness in Opera. Under the auspices of the Denyce Graves Foundation, Dr. Bryan is preparing a historical exhibition of women who have performed key roles in various productions of Porgy and Bess, which will be on display outside the Opera House during WNO’s May performances of the Gershwin classic. 

The American Academy of Teachers of Singing is pleased to recognize The Denyce Graves Foundation (DGF) with an AATS Award for Inclusion, Mentorship and Inspiration “in recognition of the impact this organization is having on the lives of young singers who have been traditionally underserved by the educational branch of the musical arts.”

Shared Voices, the flagship program of the Denyce Graves Foundation, unites Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) with the nation's leading conservatories and schools of music. This unprecedented initiative is forging a path towards opportunity, education, and community for all within the musical landscape. See why this vital program was featured on CBS Evening News!

The Metropolitan Opera continues its partnership with the Denyce Graves Foundation’s Shared Voices program, the student-exchange initiative that brings together elite historically Black colleges and universities and America’s preeminent conservatories and institutions, for a second year. On Friday, February 28, a new cohort of 18 students will participate in an immersive day-long program at the Met.

Kicking off the first day of Black History Month on Feb. 1, an audience at the Washington National Cathedral spent the afternoon learning about and listening to Black composers, at the concert: “Onward & Upward: The Unsung Heroes of Classical Music.” Musicians were from The Denyce Graves Foundation (DGF), the Coalition for African Americans in the Performing Arts (CAAPA), and The Sam Bonds Chorale. Terry Eberhardt, DGF executive director,  shared the vision for the afternoon event: collaborators bringing out the history of Black classical music. “Our foundation has grappled with the question of how do we put these stories back into history,” said Eberhardt. “We aim to identify hidden voices and restore them to their rightful place through the works we create.”

DGF has now appointed the French conductor Pierre Vallet as its new Music Director. A graduate of L’Ecole Normale de Musique de Paris and the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris, Vallet is also a pianist, lecturer, and guest teacher at world-leading institutions, plus has guest conducted at many opera houses worldwide. 

Broadway World speaks with Denyce Graves about THE PASSION OF MARY CARDWELL DAWSON at North Carolina Opera in December of 2024.

Lara Downs interviews Founder and Artistic Director, Denyce Graves in her NPR Classical California segment "AMPLIFY." It was from one of her students that she first heard about Mary Cardwell Dawson, fostering the careers of hundreds of young Black singers during an era of institutional racism and segregation. She spearheaded fundraising efforts to restore Dawson’s historic building and collaborated with the Glimmerglass Festival to produce and premiere a new musical play called The Passion of Mary Cardwell Dawson. That’s just one example of the passion-into-action that drives Denyce and her Foundation.

Arts for Learning Maryland is honored to feature Denyce Graves, internationally recognized mezzo-soprano opera singer, as this year’s Blacktastic living legend! While the annual virtual festival traditionally features Black historical figures from days past, Denyce stands out as a musician actively writing her chapter in Maryland’s history book today. In addition to being an Emmy and Grammy Award-winning vocalist, mother, wife, and educator, Denyce is an arts nonprofit pioneer making sure the path is clear for the young musicians of tomorrow through the work of the Denyce Graves Foundation.

BALTIMORE SUN: Denyce Graves, artistic director and founder of the Denyce Graves Foundation, talks about the foundation. She is in her studio at the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University where she is a faculty member. Graves created the foundation to promote equality in classical vocal music, bring the stories of those not given attention to light and support young artists. 

The February episode of WETA Arts, the locally-produced television program of WETA that celebrates visual and performing arts in the Washington, D.C. area, will present a special feature on world-renowned mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves, with a focus on The Denyce Graves Foundation (DGF), which seeks to advance equity and inclusion in American Classical vocal artistry with an innovative approach that includes seeking out “hidden musical figures” of the past. 

The Denyce Graves Foundation (DGF) is delighted to announce the appointment of Terry Eberhardt as its new Executive Director, marking a significant stride towards advancing equity and inclusion in American classical vocal arts. With a distinguished background in arts education, philanthropy, and community engagement, Eberhardt is poised to lead the foundation in championing the often-overlooked musical voices of the past and fostering the growth of exceptional young artists.

The Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University is set to welcome visiting classical voice students to its Baltimore campus for a symposium and intensive coaching sessions as part of Shared Voices, a collaboration between HBCUs and leading conservatories designed to foster a more diverse classical vocal arts...

Peabody is proud to welcome Shared Voices Symposium 2023: In the Driver’s Seat, the second annual event held by faculty artist Denyce Graves’ namesake foundation’s collaboration among Historically Black Colleges and Universities and leading conservatories and music schools of North America...

Today, it’s Midday on the Arts. We begin with a conversation about a program designed to help further the educations and careers of young people of color in classical music...

Symone Harcum was a graduate student when she met the mezzo-soprano, who guided her through a field that has traditionally overlooked Black women.

Tenor Russell Thomas, an artist-in-residence at LA Opera since 2021, has been working to expand the company’s creative and community engagement programs, taking particular care to connect with the next generation of singers...

Hannah Jeané Jones ’22 first met Denyce Graves when the iconic opera singer taught a masterclass at Lawrence University last year.
Now a first-year classical voice master’s student at Manhattan School of Music in New York City, Jones finds herself a cohort member in Graves’ Shared Voices program…

Denyce Graves becomes the first recipient of the Ruth Bader Ginsburg award, given by Washington Performing Arts...

Grammy-winning opera singer Denyce Graves founded Shared Voices, which connects students at HBCUS with those at conservatories, and student Kevin Webb performs a Handel classic.

The ‘play with music’ stars mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves as the founder of the National Negro Opera Company

Hidden Voices is the education and advocacy initiative of The Denyce Graves Foundation (DGF)...

Hidden Voices is the education and advocacy initiative of The Denyce Graves Foundation (DGF). Hidden Voices will...

In “The Passion of Mary Cardwell Dawson,” she plays a real-life trailblazer.

Opera star Denyce Graves was in her first year of teaching at the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University when she says she met a graduate student with a beautiful voice....

A Letter congratulating the Denyce Graves Foundation from Vice President Kamala Harris…

The New York Center for Children (NYCC) hosted its Annual Spring Celebration at The Peninsula New York in New York City.

The New York Center for Children (NYCC) hosted its Annual Spring Celebration at The Peninsula New York in New York City.

The New York Center for Children (NYCC) hosted its Annual Spring Celebration at The Peninsula New York in New York City.