Masterclass with Mathew Polenzani

At the Denyce Graves Foundation, we believe that the arts are among humanity’s greatest forces for transformation. They preserve our history, illuminate our shared humanity, expand opportunity, and inspire excellence across generations. Our mission is grounded in three enduring pillars—Classical Vocal Arts, American History, and Social Justice not as separate ideals, but as interconnected values that together shape a more just, vibrant, and Follow us and be the first to know when new events are announced! DGF, New Heritage Group, and The Leonard Davis Center for the Performing Arts PRESENT The Sounds of Hope Concert Join us in 2026 for Sounds of Hope, a powerful concert celebrating Black composers and classical favorites, featuring the acclaimed Shared Voices Cohort from The Denyce Graves Foundation (free admission; $15 suggested donation). Washington Nat'l Opera with Treemonisha: Behind the Scenes This spring Washington National Opera salutes Scott Joplin as a major figure in American music in a new production of his groundbreaking 1910 opera, “Treemonisha,” which won a posthumous Pulitzer Prize in 1975. Vividly colored by ragtime and folk music, Joplin’s original score, which survived because the composer deposited it for Copyright, is now one of the treasures of the Library’s Music Division. Viviana Goodwin and Hakeem Henderson from the WNO Cafritz Young Artists program perform selections from the opera. Panelists include WNO Artistic Director Francesca Zambello, acclaimed mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves, director for the production, and composer Damien Sneed. Washington National Opera America’s “King of Ragtime,” Scott Joplin, died before he could complete this opera, but the seeds he planted have endured. WNO brings this powerful work to the stage in a newly commissioned adaptation by composer Damien Sneed and playwright Kyle Bass, under the direction of legendary mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves. One of the richest operas in the American repertoire, it blends ragtime, Black folk-songs, spirituals, ballet, and traditional operatic elements. Set in 1884, the story follows Treemonisha, an educated freedwoman on a former plantation, as she challenges superstition and defies “conjurers” to become her community’s teacher and leader. Theodore Charles Stone (1912-1998) was a baritone who was known both for his performances and for his musical journalism. Born in Gainesville, Texas, he was orphaned as a child; he and his brothers and sisters were raised by his maternal grandmother. He took piano lessons in high school and graduated from San Houston College in Austin He moved to Chicago during the height of the Depression in search of opportunities to perform. He studied at Chicago Musical College (now Roosevelt College) and taught voice to support himself. He was the first African American to study at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, Finland, and toured throughout Scandinavia and Eastern Europe. U[on returning to the United States in 1939, he became a leading proponent for Scandinavian folk and art music. He also wrote his own press release; he then moved to writing columns and reviews for the Chicago Bee, the Chicago Defender, and the Pittsburgh Courier. During the 1940s he occasionally performed with the National Negro Opera Company. Mr. Stone was also active in professional organizations, serving as president of the National Association of Negro Musicians (1968-1975) and the Chicago Music Association (1954-1996). He was a member of the National Music Critics Association and director of the Music Arts Bureau. Away from music, he was known in Chicago as a designed and strong advocate for the fashion industry. DGF is rooted in the belief that now is the time to increase our nation’s commitment to its artists, both past and present—for America’s future and for the whole world. In paying homage to the achievements of so many who have gone before while serving the real needs of today’s emerging artist singers, The Denyce Graves Foundation is giving back and paying it forward at the same time. The Denyce Graves Foundation is proud to partner with the following Music Conservatories for the 2022 - 2023 Shared Voices program. Click on each institution's logo to learn more. The Denyce Graves Foundation is proud to partner with the following Historically Black Colleges and Universities for the 2022 - 2023 Shared Voices program. Click on each institution's logo to learn more. New York Post: Overtures for Opera Boss GODS of ballet, baseball, and opera turned out to honor high-culture machers inclusing opera director Francesca Zambello on Monday Night. In front of Mikhail Baryshnikov, Cal Ripkin Jr., and Andrea Bocell...The evening, the Denyce Graves Foundation's Harvest Moon Gala, held at Guastavino's in Sutton Place, was emceed by Deborah Roberts. People Magazine: Andrea Bocelli and Wife Veronica Spark Bidding War Over Trip to His Hometown The world-renowned Italian tenor, 67, and wife Veronica Berti Bocelli, 4