Opera America has announced the recipients of its 2022 Repertoire Development Grants. The recipients for the grant include American Lyric Theater, Beth Morrison Projects, Houston Grand Opera, MassOpera, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Pensacola Opera, OperaDelaware, and Virginia Opera. In sum, the nine companies will receive $225,000 to develop eight new American operas. “Fostering the creation {…}
The Houston Grand Opera has announced its 2022–23 season featuring operatic productions. Here is a look. Verdi’s “La Traviata” opens the season with Angel Blue and Cecilia Violetta López sharing the title role. They are joined by Bryan Hymel, Ricardo Garcia, Andrei Kymach, and Anthony Clark Evans. Matthew Aucoin conducts the production by Arin Arbus. Performance Dates: Oct. 21-Nov. 8, 2022 Dame Ethel Smyth’s {…}
(Credit: Hierarchy Advertising) The Houston Grand Opera (HGO) has elected Claire Liu as Chairperson to its Board of Directors. Liu first joined the Board of Directors in 2015 and has served as the Finance Committee Chair and on the Executive Committee and Management Development Subcommittee. She was also Co-Chair of the General Director Transition Committee and worked as part of {…}
The Houston Grand Opera is set to celebrate composer Carlisle Floyd in a memorial concert on February 11, 2022. The showcase, which will also be live streamed via HGO Digital, will feature selections from some of his most notable operas including “Susannah,” “Of Mice and Men,” and “Cold Sassy Tree.” Patrick Summers will conduct the performance, which will include the {…}
Houston Grand Opera has announced the winners of its 34th Annual Eleanor McCollum Competition for Young Singers. First place went to baritone Navasard Hakobyan, who will take come $10,000. Coming in second was soprano Amanda Batista, who will earn $5,000. Taking home the third place prize of $3,000 will be bass-baritone Jongwon Han; he also won the Audience Choice Award. {…}
Houston Grand Opera has announced the nine finalists selected for the 34th Annual Eleanor McCollum Competition for Young Singers. The 2022 finalists are sopranos Amanda Batista, Tatiana Carlos, Meryl Dominguez, and Olivia Smith; mezzo-soprano Shannon Keegan; baritone Navasard Hakobyan; bass-baritones Jongwon Han and Evan Lazdowski; and bass Jonas Jud. The competition will culminate with the 2022 Concert of Arias, during {…}
Natalya Romaniw is considered one of Europe’s most promising stars. In the past few years, her profile has risen with many considering her the soprano of her “Generation” and going as far as to consider her the “British Anna Netrebko.” Now after making a name for herself in the U.K., the soprano is returning to Houston Grand Opera, where she {…}
Houston Grand Opera has announced the return of its HGO Digital, the Sarah and Ernest Butler Performance Series for the 2021-22 season. The streaming platform is set to return with HGO Studio Showcase, presenting the work of HGO Studio Artists. Streaming Dates: Dec. 3, 2021 – Jan. 2, 2022 Next up will be “The Snowy Day” which will be streamed {…}
The Houston Grand Opera has announced that it will be streaming the opening performance of “The Snowy Day.” The opera, which will world premiere on Dec. 9, represents the company’s 71st world premiere ever. The opera was composed by Joel Thompson and features a libretto by Andrea David Pinkney. The opera will star Raven McMillon alongside Nicholas Newton, Elena Villalón, {…}
(Credit: Kia Caldwell / HGO official website) The Houston Grand Opera is set to world premiere Joel Thompson and Andrea Davis Pinkney’s “The Snowy Day.” The opera, which is based on a book by Ezra Jack Keats, will star Karen Slack, Raven McMillon, Nicholas Newton, Elena Villalón, Blake Denson, Cory McGee, Andres Acosta, and Ricardo Garcia. HGO’s Artistic and Music {…}
(Credit: © Arielle Doneson / Hilbert Management / Patrick Allen / Claire Mc Adams) The Houston Grand Opera will perform Poulenc’s “Dialogues des Carmélites” in January 2022. The opera will star Christine Goerke in the role of Madame Lidoine, Natalya Romaniw as Blanche, Lauren Snouffer as Sister Constance, Patricia Racette as Madame Croissy, and Jennifer Johnson Cano as Mother Marie. {…}