Houston Grand Opera Unveils 2024-25 Butler Studio Artists

The Houston Grand Opera has announced its 2024-25 Sarah and Ernest Butler Houston Grand Opera Studio Artists. Here is a run down of the first-year artists: Alissa Goretsky, soprano  Elizabeth “Hanje,” soprano Shawn Roth, tenor Sam Dhobhany, bass-baritone Ziniu Zhao, bass-baritone Laura Bleakley, pianist/coach   Jenny Choo, pianist/coach There are also four returning artists: Ani Kushyan, mezzo-soprano Michael McDermott, tenor Demetrious Sampson, Jr., tenor Navasard Hakobyan, baritone “Thanks to extraordinary support {…}

Houston Grand Opera Unveils Finalists for 2024 Concert of Arias Competition

Houston Grand Opera (HGO) has announced the finalists for its 2024 Concert of Arias. The finalists include soprano Alissa Goretsky, soprano Elizabeth “Hanje,” soprano Jouelle Roberson, soprano Jazmine Saunders, tenor Rafael Rojas, bass-baritone Sam Dhobhany, bass-baritone Ziniu Zhao, and bass Edwin Jhamaal Davis. “There is nothing more important to us at HGO than our annual search for the world’s finest emerging artists. {…}

Houston Grand Opera & the Asia Society Texas to Give the World Premiere of ‘The Big Swim’

(Photo credit: John Matthew Myers) Houston Grand Opera and the Asia Society Texas announced their co-production of the world premiere of Meilina Tsui and  Melisa Tien’s opera “The Big Swim.” The new opera weaves together Eastern and Western cultures, with Tsui’s score incorporating opera buffa, Peking and Cantonese opera, Gregorian chants, American and Asian pop music, animated musicals, and more. {…}

New Study Finds Gender Inequality & Non-Standard Work in US Opera Production

(Photo credit: Adrien Coquet) Dr. Caitlin Vincent (University of Melbourne) and Dr. Amanda Coles (Deakin University) have published their findings on the gender inequality and the impacts of non-standard work in the US opera industry. The team tracked women’s representation as conductors, directors, and designers at the 11 largest opera companies in the United States – the Metropolitan Opera, Santa Fe {…}

Cultural Exchange Foundation to Present ‘Celebrating 150 Years of Rachmaninoff’ at Carnegie Hall

The Cultural Exchange Foundation is set to present “Celebrating 150 Years of Rachmaninoff” on Oct. 21, 2023 at the Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall. The showcase will feature a number of artists including sopranos Sarah Coburn, Elizaveta Ulakhovitch, Diana Skavronskaya, and Maia Gonzalez; baritone Navasard Hakobyan; bass-baritones Joseph Parrish and Ben Strong,; mezzo-soprano Ani Kushyan; tenor Victor {…}