Photo Credit: Chris Hardy Khori Dastoor, the current General Director of Opera San José (OSJ), has been named the new General Director and CEO of Houston Grand Opera (HGO). Dastoor will assume her new role in January 2022. Dastoor has served OSJ for the past 14 years, first as a member of the company’s ensemble of principals. During that time, {…}
Jonas Kaufmann is set to perform a concert at the Houston Grand Opera on Oct. 6, 2021. “An Evening with Jonas Kaufmann” will feature the famed tenor in performance alongside the Houston Grand Opera Orchestra under the baton of Music Director Patrick Summers. The program will be announced at a later date, though per the company’s official website, there will {…}
The Houston Grand Opera has announced its 2021-22 season, which will feature six productions. It all starts with Bizet’s “Carmen” starring Carolyn Sproule, Richard Trey Smagur, Christian Pursell, and Heidi Stober. Lidiya Yankovskaya conducts a production directed by Rob Ashford. Performance Dates: Oct. 22 – Nov. 7, 2021 Next up is the world premiere of “The Snowy Day.” The new {…}
(Credit: https://www.papercitymag.com/) The Houston Grand Opera has announced that it will present Engelbert Humperdinck’s opera “Hansel and Gretel” on its digital platform on May 28, 2021 at 7:30 p.m. CT. The opera will feature mezzo-soprano Sun-Ly Pierce in the role of Hansel, soprano Raven McMillon in the role of Gretel, tenor Richard Trey Smagur as The Witch, mezzo-soprano Lindsay Kate-Brown {…}
On April 9, 2021, Houston Grand Opera will present April’s installment of “Live from The Cullen,” featuring a performance from soprano and HGO alumnus Nicole Heaston, set at the Wortham Theater Center. Accompanied by Richard Bado, HGO chorus master and director of artistic operations, Heaston will deliver a recital of classics from the American songbook. Heaston is a frequent collaborator {…}
The Houston Grand Opera has announced that it will present an in-person live event. “My Favorite Things: Songs from The Sound of Music” will take place at the University of Houston’s TDECU Stadium on May 8, 2021 and will be headlined by soprano Jeanine De Bique and Michael Mayes, as well as the cast of the company’s originally programmed production {…}
(Credit: Svetlana Pasedko) On March 26, the Houston Grand Opera will present the digital premiere of “Suite Española: Explorando Iberia.” The concert was created by HGO Artistic Advisor Ana María Martínez and will celebrate the music of Spain, including the art form known as zarzuela by featuring a collage of selections from the repertoire’s most beautiful pieces. The soprano will {…}
(Photo Credit: Craig Vanderschaegen) The Houston Grand Opera will resume its “Live from The Cullen” series on March 12 with a virtual recital featuring tenor Jack Swanson. The tenor will be accompanied by Richar Bado, HGO Director of Artistic Operations and Choirmaster. Swanson was a finalist at HGO’s 2016 Arias concert and also performed at HGO’s 60th-anniversary gala in 2015. {…}
Houston Grand Opera has announced that soprano Brittany Olivia Logan has been named as the Audience Choice winner of the 33rd annual Eleanor McCollum Competition for Young Singers. A graduate of California State University and University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, Logan has appeared in several productions with Cincinnati Opera, and appearances as a soloist with the CCM Philharmonia Logan {…}
The Houston Grand Opera has announced the winners of its 2021 Concert of Arias. The first-place prize of $10,000 went to Key’mon W. Murrah with Eric Taylor taking home the second place prize for $5,000. Emily Treigle rounded out the top three, winning the third-place prize for $3,000. Winning the Ana María Martínez Encouragement Award of $2,000 was Ángel Vargas. {…}
Houston Grand Opera has announced the finalists of its Concert of Arias as part of its annual Eleanor McCollum Competition for Young Singers. The finalists include sopranos Alaysha Fox and Brittany Logan; mezzo-sopranos Hannah Shea and Emily Treigle; countertenor Key’mon W. Murrah; tenors Aaron Crouch, Eric Taylor, and Ángel Vargas; and baritone Luke Sutliff. Each artist will perform two arias {…}
