Iconic operatic moments presented by the renowned Robert Grayson and Paul Groves Studio will grace the stage of St. Bonaventure University’s Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 17.

Emerging artists from the studio will perform “Postcards from Puccini,” bringing the passion of Italian composer Puccini’s work to life. 

Robert Grayson is the Edith Killgore Kirkpatrick Distinguished Professor Emeritus at the Louisiana State University (LSU) School of Music, where he served as chair of the Voice/Opera Division for nearly three decades and continues as a dynamic voice teacher and performer.

A leading tenor at the New York City Opera for a decade, Grayson has performed extensively across the USA and internationally at prestigious venues, including Chicago Lyric, Cleveland, Miami, Tulsa, Spoleto Festival, Israel Philharmonic, Santa Fe Opera, and Washington National Opera. He made his New York debut as Faust and sang over 100 performances as leading tenor for the New York City Opera in works such as La Bohème, Madama Butterfly, and Carmen, also opening new productions of Tosca, Norma, and La Traviata.

Recognized for his outstanding contributions, Grayson received the Phi Kappa Phi award for “Outstanding Creativity in the Arts” and has been commended for “Outstanding Teaching.” His legacy at LSU was celebrated with a Gala Performance in 2016, and his studio was named in his honor, along with the establishment of the “Robert & Karola Grayson Award for Excellence in Singing.”

Grayson’s notable recordings include “Caesar” on New World Records’ Grammy-winning Antony & Cleopatra by Barber. He also founded Opera Louisiane, a professional regional company, showcasing his commitment to fostering operatic talent and bringing the art form to wider audiences.

Paul Groves is an internationally acclaimed tenor who studied at LSU under Grayson and is known for his commanding presence on the operatic and concert stages worldwide. With an impressive 216 performances at The Metropolitan Opera, he has graced numerous leading roles in prestigious opera houses, including La Damnation de Faust at the Salzburg Festival and Nemorino in L’elisir d’amore at Teatro alla Scala. His career, which began gaining national attention after winning the Met’s National Council Auditions in 1991, has seen him perform with renowned companies such as San Francisco Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, La Scala, Opéra de Paris, Royal Opera, Covent Garden, and Vienna Staatsoper.

Beyond opera, Groves is a prominent concert artist, having appeared with the New York Philharmonic, Boston Symphony Orchestra, and Berlin Philharmonic, among many others. He has also made significant role debuts, including Alessandro Cesare in Cavalli’s Eliogabalo and Parsifal in Wagner’s Parsifal. His extensive discography includes recordings with Deutsche Grammophon, Naxos Records, and SONY Classics.

The Quick Center galleries will open one hour before the performance and remain open through intermission. Regular gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays and noon to 4 p.m. on weekends when classes are in session.

Tickets are $20 for adults, $18 for senior citizens and SBU employees, and $5 for students. To purchase tickets online, visit https://www.ticketor.com/quickarts/tickets, or call the Quick Center at (716) 375-2494.

The performance is made possible through the generous support of Friends of Good Music.

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About the University: The nation’s first Franciscan university, St. Bonaventure is a community committed to transforming the lives of its students inside and outside the classroom, inspiring in them a commitment to academic excellence and lifelong civic engagement. Out of 167 regional universities in the North, St. Bonaventure was ranked #8 for value and #19 overall by U.S. News and World Report (2025).