OPERADELAWARE 824 North Market St. Suite 200, Wilmington, DE 19801-3024 Phone: (302) 658-8063 Fax: (302) 658-4991 Box Office: (302) 652-5577 or 1-800-37-GRAND Email: opinfo@dcanet.com – Website: www.operadel.org Contact: Sean Kriner, Marketing Manager (302) 658-8063 For Immediate Release OPERADELAWARE TO HOST SUPERSTAR DENYCE GRAVES Wilmington, DE – In what promises to be the event of the season, mezzo-soprano superstar Denyce Graves will perform a benefit concert at The Grand Opera House on December 9, 2000 at 8:30 p.m. Join OPERADELAWARE and Delaware’s former Governors in celebration of Delaware’s support for the arts as Governor Carper ends his eight years of service. Ticket prices are $500 for VIP seating, $250 for preferred seating, and $65.00 for general admission. Call (302) 658-8063 for tickets. Ms. Graves will perform a special benefit concert, thanks to event Chairman Michael E. Harkins, lead sponsor Hercules Incorporated and honorary committee chairs: The Honorable and Mrs. Michael Newbold Castle, The Honorable and Mrs. Pierre Samuel du Pont, IV, The Honorable and Mrs. Russell Wilber Peterson, The Honorable and Mrs. Sherman Willard Tribbitt, and the Honorable and Mrs. Dale E. Wolf. Recognized worldwide as one of today’s most exciting vocal stars, mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves continues to gather unparalleled popular and critical acclaim in performances on four continents. USA Today identified her as one of the singers most likely to be an operatic superstar of the 21st century, and the San Francisco Examiner exclaimed, "when her soaring voice hits the final note, it’s about as high to heaven as one can get." Ms. Graves has become particularly well known to operatic audiences, especially for her portrayals in the tile roles of Carmen and Samson et Dalila. These signature roles have brought her to the Metropolitan Opera, Vienna Staatsoper, Royal Opera-Covent Garden, San Francisco Opera, Opera Nationale de Paris, and The Washington Opera, to name a few. The Delaware Symphony, conducted by Music Director Stephen Gunzenhauser, will be performing the music for the evening. Sponsorship provided by Hercules Incorporated, First USA, Dr. and Mrs. Vincent J. Corbo, and Mr. and Mrs. Michael E. Harkins. All proceeds benefit OPERADELAWARE. This OPERADELAWARE program is funded in part by the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency committed to promoting and supporting the Arts in Delaware.