Susan Graham

Susan Graham (born July 23, 1960) is an American mezzo-soprano. She has had an international career in operas and concerts since her stage debut in 1985 at the Eugene Opera. In her early career she came to prominence on the international stage in several trouser roles; among them Annio in La clemenza di Tito, Cherubino in The Marriage of Figaro, The Composer in Ariadne auf Naxos, and Octavian in Der Rosenkavalier. She has premièred several roles in contemporary operas, including John Harbison's The Great Gatsby (Jordan Baker), Jake Heggie's Dead Man Walking (Sister Helen Prejean), and Tobias Picker's An American Tragedy (Sondra Finchley). Graham is a noted champion of the French song repertoire and of songs by contemporary American composers, including Ned Rorem and Lowell Liebermann. She has sung leading roles at the Metropolitan Opera, the Royal Opera House, La Scala, the Paris Opera, and the Vienna State Opera among other theaters. In 2004 she won the Grammy Award for Best Classical Vocal Performance.