Recognized as “an operatic superstar of the 21st century” by USA Today, mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves’ career has garnered unparalleled popular and critical acclaim. The recently appointed artistic advisor of the Chautauqua Opera Conservatory, Graves is artistic director of The Denyce Graves Foundation, which she founded in 2021. Exploring the theme of “Art in Action: Building Community Through the Arts,” Graves will both open the week in concert with the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra on Saturday, July 5, 2025, and then speak three days later in her Chautauqua Lecture Series debut. In that presentation, Graves will discuss her dedication to the singers of the next generation, and her work championing the hidden musical figures of the past while uplifting young artists of world-class talent from all backgrounds.