American
mezzo-soprano Susan Graham has enjoyed a rich and successful operatic career,
interpreting everything from French-language roles like Iphigénie
in Gluck’s “Iphigénie en Tauride” and Didon in Berlioz’s
“Les Troyens” to 20th century characters like the
title role in Marc Blitzstein’s “Regina” and Sister Helen Prejean in the
premiere of Jake Heggie’s “Dead Man Walking.”
On February 10 at
Eastman’s Kilbourn Hall, Graham and pianist Bradley
Moore turn to the world of art song, performing a program that prominently
features the music of French composers Fauré,
Debussy, Ravel, and Poulenc. Thematically, the recital revolves around the
subject of love, as articulated in the Robert Schumann song cycle “Frauenliebe
und leben.”
In a recent phone
interview, Graham talked about her attraction to French music, her vocal style,
and highlights from the upcoming concert. What follows is an edited version of
that discussion.
CITY: You’ve made a name for yourself as a keen
interpreter of French repertoire. What is it about the language itself or
French compositional styles that have resonated with you so strongly?
Susan Graham: Well, I started out as a pianist when I was young, studying piano for
many, many years. And I was always very drawn to French Impressionism and sort
of the unexpectedness of the harmonies of Debussy, for instance. And when I
started singing, that just sort of spilled over, I
think.
And then the
language: when I started taking voice lessons at age 16, the first song that my
voice teacher in Midland, Texas gave me was “Après un rêve”
by Fauré, which was a little ambitious for a
16-year-old girl in West Texas who really did not speak French. I don’t know,
maybe she had some premonition. But it began sort of a lifelong love affair
with French repertoire. And then of course as I got older, I really started to
explore a lot of Berlioz. Sort of the language of storytelling, and the way that
that language just feels to sing, somehow just suited me.
Do you think it also has to do with the distinctive
timbre of your voice?
I do, I do. ‘Cause there’s an operatic category sort of known as falcone, which you, know, is French for “falcon.” It
sort of requires a kind of clarion quality to the voice, and a kind of, sort of
plangency that I think suits me.
The other thing I
like about French music is that it’s not overly sappy. It’s just like in French
cuisine and French literature and French music: There’s nothing particularly
extraneous. It’s just sort of what’s essential.
What makes the song cycle “Frauenliebe
und leben” such a good focal point for this recital
program of art songs you’ll be performing at Eastman?
First of all, it’s
an iconic corner of the repertoire. Schumann songs are always really gratifying
to sing. He has an economy of melody and harmony that is very cleverly used,
and just right for whatever story he’s telling. I love the piano landscapes of
Schumann as a pianist. It really appeals to me.
“Frauenliebe
und leben,” of course, is the love and life of a
woman. It sort of outlines eight chapters in a woman’s love with this
particular man. Who can’t relate to all that? It’s a universal theme.
Is there a particular piece on the program that you
would consider a hidden gem?
Yes – in the second
group, I think it is – the John Dankworth setting of
“Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?” He wrote it for his wife, jazz singer
Cleo Laine. It’s a modern song. And it’s got a real, contemporary – it’s not
jazzy, but it certainly has a jazz feel to it, and certainly it’s open for jazz
interpretations. I tend to stay on the slightly cleaner side, but it’s a
gorgeous song and I love it. I’m always very happy at the point when that one pops
up in the program.
You’ve made it a point in your career to interpret
20th century and contemporary American repertoire. Why is that important for
you?
Well, we have to
keep regenerating. We’ll all turn into dinosaur bones if we don’t keep the repertoire
fresh, in conjunction with what are considered standard repertoire. Audiences
want that. Artists want that, and audiences want that. They want fresh, new
ideas.
This article appears in Jan 30 – Feb 5, 2019.
