SUSAN GRAHAM WILL MAKE CAREER ROLE DÉBUT AS MONTEVERDI'S POPPEA IN A STAR-STUDDED HOUSTON GRAND OPERA PRODUCTION OF L'INCORONAZIONE DI POPPEA ON APRIL 29 "The superb American mezzo is at the peak of her powers" - The Times (London) New York, April 12, 2006 - On April 29, Susan Graham - "America's favorite mezzo", (Gramophone) - makes her career role début as Poppea, in Monteverdi's monumental Incoronazione di Poppea at the Houston Grand Opera, in her home state of Texas. Ms. Graham will sing the role of the relentlessly ambitious adulteress who drives the infamous Roman Emperor Nero to dissolve - by any means necessary - his marriage to the virtuous Ottavia. English early-music expert William Lacey leads an all-star cast that includes Frederica von Stade, Nathan Gunn and William Burden. Susan Graham is not alone in giving a career debut performance: each of the principal singers is doing so as well - von Stade as Ottavia, Burden as Nero and Gunn as Ottone. And conductor Lacey is himself making his Houston Grand Opera début with the Graham Vick production - also in its American debut - with sets and costumes by Paul Brown and lighting by Peter Kaczorowski. Further performances are on May 3, 5, 7 and 12.