Denyce Graves has made quite a splash in the opera world with her performances of sultry mezzo roles such as Carmen and Dalila at the Metropolitan Opera and elsewhere. Both of those roles are naturally featured here, as the opening and closing bookends of this disc, but in the 10 arias that come between these favorites, Graves demonstrates an admirable versatility, ranging from the purity and decorum of Purcell to the impassioned drama of Mascagni. True, it can be a bit jarring to jump from Handel to Barber via Donizetti, but the consistent feature is Graves' rich, expressive voice. The album's title is 'Voice of the Woman,' yet the selections include trousers roles by Gluck and Handel, acknowledging that the mezzo voice range hasn't always belonged to women at all. Of course, Graves herself is the woman whose voice is being celebrated, and she's at her most impressive in the furious dramatic outbursts from 'Adriana Lecouvreur' and 'Cavalleria rusticana.' Another highlight is a touching reading of "Must the winter come so soon" from Barber's 'Vanessa,' which inspires a hope that Graves will record more American music in the future. All told, this is a fine release that will hopefully inspire listeners to attend her live performances, where her magnetic stage presence makes her an even more impressive artist.
