“She is almost too good to be true,” says The Washington Post of mezzo-soprano
Denyce Graves. “A vital artist, a beautiful woman, a regal presence,” the newspaper
gushed. There are opera singers and opera stars. Then there’s Graves. How many
opera figures have their own perfume and jewelry lines?
Graves is performing at the University of Illinois’ Krannert Center for the Performing Arts on Thursday, Oct. 16. She became famous after her debut at the New York City Opera in the mid-1990s when she performed Carmen. Most people recognize her as the soloist who sang at the National Cathedral during the Sept. 11, 2001, memorial service in Washington, D.C.
Graves’ performance coincides with Illinois Arts Week, which begins Sunday. Illinois Arts Week is sponsored by the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency. The council is promoting hundreds of art-related events throughout the state this week. The Krannert Center, in Urbana, is hosting three of the highlighted events, all by internationally-renowned artists. Price-wise, there’s a concert here for everyone.
On Tuesday, violinist Sherban Lupu and pianist Ian Hobson combine for a evening of Bartok. Lupu and Hobson are music professor at U. of I. Lupu performs all over the world, founded the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, and belonged to the English Chamber Orchestra and the London Mozart Players. Hobson, the youngest recipient of the Recital Diploma at London’s Royal Academy of Music, earned his undergraduate music degree at Cambridge University in two years. He also has two master’s and a doctorate in music from Yale. He’s the founder of the Sinfonia da Camera chamber orchestra.
Israeli cellist Maya Beiser ends the week at Krannert. Her concert on Saturday, Oct. 18, debuts original works composed especially for her by Steve Reich, Osvaldo Golijov, and David Lang. Her postmodern, multimedia approach has been described as chilling, intense, and dazzling. Her CD Kinship was considered one the ten best in 2000 by the Los Angeles Times.
Tickets for the Lupu-Hobson recital cost no more than $5 — for U. of I. students
they’re $2. Tickets for Beiser’s concert are a step up and range from $14 to
$20. You might have to dig a little deeper for Graves. Her seats sell from $27
to $42. As of presstime tickets were still available for all performances. All
concerts begin at 7:30 p.m. and take place at Krannert’s Foellinger Great Hall.
Call (800) 527-2849 for more information or visit Krannert on the Web at www.krannertcenter.com.
To learn more about Illinois Arts Week and to see a list of
all Arts Week events, www.state.il.us/agency/iac
This article appears in Oct 9-15, 2003.
