- Othalie Graham
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Othalie Graham - Turandot
Othalie Graham (born 1973) is a Canadian dramatic soprano, whose operatic roles to date include the title roles of Puccini's Turandot, Verdi's Aida, Strauss' Elektra and Leonora in Verdi's Il trovatore as well as a role in Tosca and the role of Odabella in Attila. She is a protégé of the legendary soprano Lois McDonall and began her professional opera career in October 2004.
Contents
Early years
Othalie Graham was born in 1973 in Brampton, Ontario, Canada.[1] Her father, a Jamaican born Canadian, instilled in Graham a strong identification with Jamaican music and culture.[1] When Graham was young, her father sparked her interest in opera by taking her to see a Leontyne Price recital.[1] Her passion in opera grew while attending high school at the Etobicoke School of the Arts. While in Canada, Graham was awarded first place in the Jeunes Ambassadeurs Lyriques Competition and received the coveted Jean Chalmers prize in the Canadian Music Competition.[2]
Othalie Graham early in her career.In 1989, she started college as a biology major.[3] However, her interest was in opera and she began studying with Maestro Daniel Eby at the New School of Classical Vocal Studies in Toronto, Ontario.[4] By age 20, she had learned the role of Donna Anna in Mozart’s 1787 opera, Don Giovanni.[4] Graham studied at the New School of Classical Vocal Studies until 1994.
In 2000, she began attending Philadelphia's prestigious Academy of Vocal Arts, or AVA.[5] At AVA, she studied under Bill Schuman and continues to study with Schuman.[1] In 2002, Graham won the Opera at Florham voice competition.[6] In 2003, Graham won the Liederkranz Society's annual competition and made her New York City recital debut with that choral society.[7] She was also the New Jersey district winner of the 2003 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and a finalist in the 2003 Palm Beach Opera Competition.[2] In 2004, Graham spent the summer training under the widely admired Italian opera singer Renata Scotto at the Renata Scotto Opera Academy at the Music Conservatory of Westchester.[2][5]
Career
Othalie GrahamGraham started her professional career in October 2004 in the title role of Puccini's Turandot at OperaDelaware,[3] a roll in which she repeated at the Utah Festival Opera.[8] Her performance was well received, with one reviewer writing she "has a huge, powerful voice that fills the auditorium and navigates the musical difficulties beautifully"[9] another writing, "a statuesque soprano with both power and sweetness in a disciplined voice."[10]
In 2005, she was awarded the prestigious Sullivan Foundation Grant.[2]
In 2006, her performance in the production of "Turandot" at the Sacramento Opera was identified as the single reason that its success was never in question.[11] In July 2006, Graham added title role of Floria Tosca in Giacomo Puccini's opera Tosca.[5]
In 2007, Graham added the role of Odabella in Attila as part of her Sarasota Opera debut, where she "blasted Young-Bok Kim's Attila off his throne" with "a big wagnerian voice."[12]
On September 25, 2007, Her performance of "Aida" at El Paso Opera House was amazing having critic Paul Westman saying "At the end of the scene I was blown out of my seat by the loudest E flat that I have ever heard in my life! The interesting thing is that the note did not "sound HIGH" to my ear as it usually does at end of a cabaletta. It was huge and cut through the opera house like a laser beam!".[13]
Awards
- First place in the Jeunes Ambassadeurs Lyriques Competition
- Jean Chalmers prize in the Canadian Music Competition
- Opera at Florham voice competition (2002)
- Liederkranz Society's annual competition (2003)
- The New Jersey district winner of the 2003 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions (2003)
- Finalist in the 2003 Palm Beach Opera Competition (2003)
- Awarded the Sullivan Foundation Grant (2005)
References
- ^ a b c d Shengold, David. (October 28, 2004) Citypaper.net. Othalie Graham.
- ^ a b c d The Festival Opera Association. (2006) Othalie Graham bio. Accessed July 19, 2007.
- ^ a b Rowe, Georgia. (July 6, 2006) Contra Costa Times. [Georgia Rowe: Classical Notes: "Tosca" fits soprano perfectly.] Section: Features; Page F4.
- ^ a b Eby, Daniel (Maestro). (2005) New School of Classical Vocal Studies: Othalie Graham. Accessed July 19, 2007.
- ^ a b c North, Cheryl. (July 6, 2006) The Oakland Tribune. Can't go wrong with a masterwork by Puccini. Section: Cheryl North.
- ^ Bugman, Cathy. (July 18, 2002) The Star-Ledger. Celebration for cancer survivors; Around town. Section: In the towns; Page 1.
- ^ Othalie Graham website. Biography, Othalie Graham, soprano. Accessed July 19, 2007.
- ^ Choi, Janet A. (June 1, 2005) Opera News. Summer Holiday. Volume 69; Issue 12; Page 42.
- ^ Howard, Rebecca C. (July 12, 2005) Deseret Morning News Annie hits mark at Utah Festival Opera. Section: Education; Page C4.
- ^ Donovan, Anita. (November 13, 2005) Bucks County Courier Times. Love and war clash in. Section: Life Sunday; Page 2E.
- ^ Ortiz, Edward. (February 27, 2006) The Sacramento Bee Canadian soprano lifts 'Turandot' splendidly. Section: Scene; Page E1.
- ^ Schneider, Lew. February 20, 2007) Musicweb-international.com. Verdi , Attila: Soloists;orchestra and Chorus of Sarasota Opera, Victor de Renzi (conductor). Accessed July 27, 2007.
- ^ Westman, Paul. (September 25, 2007) OperaStuff [http://www.operastuff.com/cgi-bin/review.cgi?username=Paul%20Westman>
External links
Categories:- 1973 births
- Living people
- Canadian female singers
- Canadian opera singers
- Canadian sopranos
- Operatic sopranos
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