Othalie Graham

Othalie Graham is a Canadian-American dramatic soprano, known for operatic roles such as Turandot in Turandot, Tosca in Tosca, Minnie in La fanciulla del West, Aida in Aida, Elektra in Elektra and Ariadne in Ariadne Auf Naxos.

Othalie Graham

Early years

Graham was born in Brampton, Ontario.[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]

Graham attended the prestigious Academy of Vocal Arts[3] after studying under Lois McDonall.[4] At AVA, she studied under Bill Schuman and continues to study with him.[1] Graham has won the Opera at Florham voice competition[5] as well as the Liederkranz Foundations's annual competition,[6] where she made her New York City recital debut.[7] She was also the New Jersey district winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and a finalist in the Palm Beach Opera Competition.[2] Graham also spent a summer training under the widely admired Italian opera singer Renata Scotto at the Renata Scotto Opera Academy at the Music Conservatory of Westchester.[2][3]

Career

Graham continues to receive critical acclaim throughout North America and is widely known for her interpretations of the title roles in Turandot and Aida and her commitment to Wagnerian repertoire. The Boston Globe noted that, in her interpretation of Turandot, Graham's “timbre and power were thrilling – steely ring from top to bottom – and her path from imperiousness to passion was convincing,” while Opera News described her as “a vocally secure Turandot, her gleaming tones well suited to the ice princess’s misanthropic resolve.”

Graham's 2019-2020 season includes her role debut as Lady Macbeth in Macbeth with Toledo Opera and Opera Carolina, performing the title role in Turandot with the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra, Serena in Porgy and Bess with the Harrisburg Symphony, performances as featured soloist in Beethoven's Ninth Symphony with the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra and Delaware Symphony, Verdi's Requiem with the Reading Symphony Orchestra and Sacramento Choral Society and Orchestra, and a performance as the featured guest at the Traverse Symphony Wagner Gala.

Recent performances have included the title role in Turandot with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra led by Jader Bignamini, part of Maestro Leonard Slatkin's farewell concert; the title role in Aida with Opera Carolina, Toledo Opera, and at the Teatro Greco di Siracusa in Sicily with Marcello Giordani; the title role in Ariadne auf Naxos with Festival Opera; covering Elektra at The Teatro San Carlo Napoli; the role of Minnie in La Fanciulla del West with Nashville Opera and Indianapolis Opera. Recent concert highlights include all-Wagner programs in Mexico City at Sala Nezahualcóyotl and at the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Lima, Peru, and with the Washington Chorus at The Kennedy Center; Beethoven's 9th Symphony with The Philadelphia Orchestra; the Verdi Requiem with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Mississippi Symphony Orchestra; Serena in Porgy and Bess with Toledo Opera, Springfield Symphony Orchestra, and Jacksonville Symphony; Isolde in Tristan und Isolde in Zagreb, Croatia and with the Washington National Chorus at The Kennedy Center in DC; and the Britten War Requiem with the Fondazione Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano Giuseppe Verdi.

Graham has performed the title role of Turandot with Teatro Cervantes de Málaga in Spain, Gran Teatro Nacional del Perú with the Asociación Cultural Romanza, Edmonton Opera, Opera Carolina, Orquesta Filhamónica de la UNAM, Opera de Nuevo León, Boston's Chorus Pro Musica, Arizona Opera, Michigan Opera Theatre, Opera Columbus, Opera Delaware, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Pensacola Opera, Westfield Symphony Orchestra, Nashville Opera, and Knoxville Opera.

Additional appearances have included the title role of Aida for the inaugural performance of the Istanbul International Opera Festival; the title role in Tosca with Festival Opera; and the title role in Elektra at Philadelphia's Academy of Vocal Arts. In the Wagnerian repertoire, Graham's notable roles also include Senta in Der Fliegender Holländer, Brünnhilde and Sieglinde in Wagner's Ring Cycle, and Elisabeth in Tannhäuser.

Other concert engagements include Elijah with Bryn Terfel and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir; Mahler's Symphony No. 8 with the Washington National Chorus at The Kennedy Center; performances with the Lima Symphony and Plainfield Symphony; Brünnhilde excerpts from Die Walküre for the L’Opéra de Montréal gala; a New York recital debut with the Liederkranz Society; Isolde in Tristan und Isolde with the Young Musicians Foundation Orchestra in California; a featured appearance with Eve Queler at the Dahesh Museum of Art; and opera galas for Pacific Opera Victoria, Vancouver Opera, Orquesta Sinfonica de Xalapa, and Canada's Oakville Symphony.

Graham is featured on the Brampton Arts Walk of Fame in her hometown of Brampton, Ontario, honoring those who have achieved excellence in the arts and entertainment industry. She previously was the first-place winner of the Gerda Lissner International Vocal Competition in the Wagner Division, the first-place winner of the Joyce Dutka Competition, a recipient of a Sullivan Foundation Grant, a first-place winner in the Wagner Division of the Liederkranz Competition, winner of the Jean Chalmers prize in the Canadian Music Competition, winner of the Edward Johnson Competition, and first place recipient of the Jeunes Ambassadeurs Lyriques Competition.

Awards
  • First place in the Jeunes Ambassadeurs Lyriques Competition
  • Jean Chalmers prize in the Canadian Music Competition
  • Winner of Edward Johnson Competition
  • Winner of Opera at Florham Voice Competition
  • Winner of Liederkranz Society Competition in Wagner division
  • New Jersey district winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions
  • Finalist in Palm Beach Opera Competition
  • Sullivan Foundation Grant recipient
  • First place winner in the Gerda Lissner International Vocal Competition in Wagner Division
  • First place winner of the Joyce Dutka Competition

References
  1. Shengold, David. (October 28, 2004) Citypaper.net. Othalie Graham. Archived 2006-06-14 at the Wayback Machine
  2. The Festival Opera Association. (2006) Othalie Graham bio. Archived 2007-09-28 at the Wayback Machine Accessed July 19, 2007.
  3. North, Cheryl. (July 6, 2006) The Oakland Tribune Can't go wrong with a masterwork by Puccini. Section: Cheryl North.
  4. http://www.schmopera.com/talking-with-singers-othalie-graham/
  5. Bugman, Cathy. (July 18, 2002) The Star-Ledger. Celebration for cancer survivors; Around town. Section: In the towns; Page 1.
  6. "Scholarship Award Winner List 1987–2013" (PDF). liederkranzny.org. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
  7. Othalie Graham website. Biography, Othalie Graham, soprano. Archived 2017-02-19 at the Wayback Machine Accessed July 19, 2007.
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