Houston Grand Opera has announced a slate of free summer programs for children and families. Led by HGO teaching artists, the initiative centers on two offerings. “Meet an Opera Singer!” invites students of all ages to engage with a professional singer, ask questions about their career, and experience operatic performance firsthand. “Storybook Opera,” aimed at Pre-K through second grade, brings {…}
(Photo Credit: Michelle Watson) Houston Grand Opera hosted its 2026 Opera Ball on April 11 at the Wortham Theater Center, welcoming nearly 400 guests and raising over $1,825,000. Titled “Brilliance Ball: A Celebration of Light and Legacy,” the evening honored HGO Artistic and Music Director Patrick Summers, who received the company’s Silver Rose award in recognition of over 25 years {…}
The Houston Grand Opera has announced its 2026-27 season. Angel Blue headlines Floyd’s “Susannah” alongside Rod Gilfry, Bille Bruley, Aaron Blake, Deborah Nansteel, and Malcolm MacKenzie. James Gaffigan conducts Patricia Racette’s production. Performance Dates: Oct. 23-Nov. 8, 20-26 Matthew Polenzani headlines Gounod’s “Faust” with Pretty Yende, Ildebrando d’Arcangelo, Sean Michael Plumb, and Sun-Ly Pierce. Giacomo Sagripanti conducts. Performance Dates: Oct. {…}
(Image courtesy of HGO) Houston Grand Opera is set to livestream its new production of Carlisle Floyd’s “Of Mice and Men” on March 15, 2026, at 2:30 p.m. CT via its YouTube and Facebook channels. The matinee performance at the Wortham Theater Center’s Cullen Theater will feature a cast drawn entirely from the company’s Sarah and Ernest Butler Houston Grand {…}
Houston Grand Opera has revealed the incoming class of the Sarah and Ernest Butler Houston Grand Opera Studio for the 2026-27 season. In sum there will be five new artists alongside seven returning members. The five first-year artists include soprano Scarlett Jones, who took first place at HGO’s 2026 Eleanor McCollum Competition Concert of Arias. Joining her are mezzo-soprano Lauren {…}
(Photo Credit: Erich Schlegel) Houston Grand Opera will present a new production of Carlisle Floyd’s “Of Mice and Men” on March 13 and 15, 2026 at the Wortham Theater Center’s Cullen Theater. The showcase, presented by the Sarah and Ernest Butler Houston Grand Opera Studio as part of the centennial of the composer’s birth. The entire cast is drawn from {…}
(Photo credit: Victor Conteras) Houston Grand Opera has announced its plans to bring music, storytelling, and hands-on creativity to families with a week of free arts experiences designed especially for children in grades Pre-K-2. During spring break (March 9 to 13), families are invited to explore opera alongside Houston Grand Opera teaching artists. Programming includes Storybook Opera and Music! Stories! {…}
(Photo credit: Claire McAdams) Houston Grand Opera has announced the appointment of Darcy Douglas as its new Chief Philanthropy Officer. Douglas recently served as Vice President of Advancement and Alumni Engagement at South Texas College of Law Houston since 2021. Under her leadership, the department underwent a complete transformation, resulting in a 51 percent increase in philanthropic revenue during her {…}
(Photo Credit: Michael Bishop) Houston Grand Opera has announced the winners of the Concert of Arias at the 38th Annual Eleanor McCollum Competition for Young Singers. British soprano Scarlett Jones took home first place and the $25,000 prize. Currently pursuing her Master of Music at The Juilliard School as a Kovner Fellow, Jones recently performed Gertrude in Humperdinck’s “Hansel and {…}
Houston Grand Opera (HGO) has announced the seven finalists for the “Concert of Arias,” the final round of the 38th Annual Eleanor McCollum Competition for Young Singers. The event is set to take place Feb. 6, 2026, at the Wortham Theater Center in Houston. The finalists are sopranos Scarlett Jones, Viktoriia Shamanska, Arpi Sinanyan, and Kayla Rae Stein; mezzo-soprano Lauren {…}
(© S. Richards Photography 2016) Houston Grand Opera is set to present “Giving Voice” on Friday, Feb. 20, 2026 at 7:30 p.m. The concert, the company’s seventh annual showcase of Black artists in classical music and opera, takes place at The Fort Bend Church in Sugar Land, Texas, marking the first time the event is held at the venue. Soloists {…}