The North Carolina native makes his first appearance on GREAT PERFORMANCES in the LA Opera's production of ''Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny,'' which was also his debut with the company. A graduate of the Eastman School of Music and the Julliard School, Griffey's major roles have included the lead in ''Peter Grimes'' with the Metropolitan Opera, Lennie in ''Of Mice and Men'' with the Glimmerglass Opera and the New York City Opera, and Mitch in the world premiere of Andre Previn's ''A Streetcar Named Desire'' at the San Francisco Opera." Fans can catch the tenor later this season when he reprises the role of Peter Grimes with the Metropolitan Opera, which will be broadcast on GP AT THE MET in May 2008. GREAT PERFORMANCES: You sang the role of Jimmy for the first time in this production of "The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny." What was your experience with the role and the opera? ANTHONY DEAN GRIFFEY: I really, really enjoyed performing the opera. I gravitate to roles that have a very strong message behind them, a message for all of us, for society. I felt that this would become another type of signature role for me. [Jimmy] sings pretty much from beginning to end in this opera, but people mostly remember Jenny because of her big "Alabama Song." So it was important for me to get into the character and do some research on him. GP: What was it like performing with Patti LuPone and Audra McDonald, rather than regular opera colleagues? ADG: Well, "Mahagonny" is a type of hybrid opera anyway. It was great building a bridge between what we think of as separate worlds, to have two Broadway singers and me representing the opera world. I had never been miked before. And we didn't wear the headsets until we moved into the theater, so it was difficult to find the balance. But there were no real problems at all with the production. I knew Audra. She and I were students at Juilliard [in New York] at the same time. We lived in the same building; I was in the apartment right above her. And working with Patti was a dream. I learned a lot from both of them. The director [John Doyle] let us show what we could bring to the table. It wasn't just: sing this aria here and then move to here. He's all about keeping it real. And working with [conductor] James Conlon was great. He was very giving and open. This was one of the highlights of my career. It really was the best of all possible worlds. GP: That sounds like Bernstein's "Candide" is in your future. ADG: It is, believe it or not. I always felt that "Candide" was right for my voice. GP: Back to "Mahagonny," what do you think the work's message is? ADG: The message is that the true sin in society is to be poor. That's why they kill Jimmy, when he can't pay his whisky tab. And in this production, the killing is by lethal injection, so that makes it even more relevant. The message people should take away from "Mahagonny" is: take a self-inventory and see if you're doing anything to help society as a whole in some small way. There are so many needs in our world today. We all have to do something. It doesn't matter how small it is. I've done work for a homeless shelter in my hometown [High Point, NC] and I'm going to do a concert for them this year. For me as an artist, I feel I have to make people aware of problems we face. It is so hard to break out of being poor. Our health system isn't working; our mental health system is broken. Los Angeles was a great place to present "Mahagonny." I think some people were uncomfortable in their chairs. But Warren Beatty came to two performances and came backstage. GP: How did you find yourself heading into a singing career? ADG: I grew up quite shy in High Point. It was music education in school that brought me out of shyness. I sang boy soprano in my church choir. I played trombone from sixth grade through high school. I went and got a degree in church music. I thought my true calling was to be a director of music in a church. I worked at a very small church, where the choir knew about 10 hymns. Whatever anthem I wanted to do, someone would refuse to sing. I would get physically sick before I had to direct the choir. But I didn't feel that way when I sang solo. I won a voice competition and auditioned for the Eastman School of Music and was accepted. A teacher there recommended that I go to New York and study with Beverly Johnson. I entered Juilliard in 1992 and then was accepted into the Metropolitan Opera's Young Artists Development Program. That started me on the road. My first big role was Peter Grimes [in Benjamin Britten's opera of that name] at the Tanglewood Festival. And that led to being the second cover [operaspeak for "understudy"] at the Met. I went on in 1998, and that launched me. GP: Did the acting side of opera come as easily as the vocal? ADG: I was a natural actor. A lot of kids who are shy have a world of their own in their imagination. They just need an opportunity to trigger it. GP: Peter Grimes is one of the most interesting characters in opera, with such a dark, mysterious side and such a tragic fate. You've made it one of your signature roles. Were you inspired by some of the famous performers of Grimes? ADG: I never saw Jon Vickers or Peter Pears do it. I don't listen to recordings of other tenors that much; I take the road less traveled in my operatic journey. I am drawn to characters I want to give an honest life to. Peter Grimes has so many layers. My interest is to see both the good in him and what troubles Peter. I don't see him as an evil person. He's very misunderstood. The opera is also about the hypocrisy of society and how quick people are to judge. GP: You've also won much acclaim for portraying another very distinctive, tragic character, Lennie in Carlisle Floyd's "Of Mice and Men." Was that a difficult role to get a handle on? ADG: I worked for seven years with special populations, and I was director of a camp for kids with severe and profound autism. I worked with people from all walks of life, so the character of Lennie has different characteristics of the kids and adults I worked with. I owe my interpretation to them. For me, Lennie can't be a caricature of someone who has special needs. I remember after a performance in San Diego, a little lady in her 90s was waiting to see me backstage. I overheard her ask someone, "How did they find a retarded boy who sings so well?" At first I was shocked. And then I thought, what a compliment that was to me. GP: Are there roles you're anxious to sing, but haven't yet had the opportunity to perform? ADG: I would really love to sing Tamino [the prince in Mozart's "The Magic Flute"], but it hasn't come around. I think princes come in all shapes and sizes. I will sing Florestan [in Beethoven's "Fidelio"] next year. GP: Do you get any pressure to tackle Wagner? ADG: I was offered Tristan in Glyndebourne [the opera festival in England], but definitely turned that down. Some of my roles have a dramatic side, but they all have a lyric side too, which is very healthy for a singer. Once you go there [into Wagner], it is difficult for people to think of you as someone to sing a Mozart "Requiem" or Beethoven "Missa Solemnis." I don't want to go too fast. There are other people who have done [heavier repertoire] too soon, and it's over in four or five years. And the same people who put you there, who kept saying "You can do it," are the people who won't hire you anymore. The same people who build you up can tear you down. Interview by Tim Smith for GREAT PERFORMANCES Online conducted in December 2007.