Houston Grand Opera has announced that it is partnering with Apple Music Classical. Under this new agreement, Apple Music will release numerous historic and contemporary recordings by the company with the first release being the 2011 production of “Dead Man Walking” starring Joyce DiDonato and Frederica Von Stade. The recording was originally released by Erato / Warner Classics, but has {…}
Photo: Michael Bishop Houston Grand Opera’s season premiere, “Intelligence,” is not just another opera to take in – it’s an experience to be absorbed. It masterfully fulfills art’s big-picture role: sparking dialogues and bridging emotional divides, even when the discussions are challenging and the ties seem broken. This riveting work is realized through the collective genius of composer Jake Heggie, {…}
(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 {…}
The Houston Grand Opera has announced that Colin Michael Brush has taken over the position of Director of the Sarah and Ernest Butler Houston Grand Opera Studio. Brush, whose tenure started on Oct. 3, will be in charge of the artistic development of the young artists in the program and will also recruit future candidates. “I am so passionate about {…}
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 {…}
The Guggenheim’s Works & Process has announced its fall 2023 season. The program amplifies support for performing artists and their artistic process, and simultaneously provides the public with behind-the-scenes access to new works, fostering greater understanding and appreciation. Here are the operas that will be previewed. The Houston Grand Opera and Urban Bush Women will present “Intelligence” by Jake Heggie, {…}
Houston Grand Opera is set to present the 2023 Butler Studio Showcase on Sept. 14, 2023. The program, which will feature selections from “Eugene Onegin,” “The Turn of the Screw,” “La Favorite,” “Susannah,” Béatrice et Bénédict,” and “Madama Butterfly,” will provide audiences with the first look at the Butler Studio class of 2023-24. The singers included in the program are {…}
Houston Grand Opera has announced the 2023-24 Sarah and Ernest Butler HGO Studio Artists. Following an extensive global search, four artists have been selected as first-year Butler Studio artists: mezzo-soprano Ani Kushyan, tenor Michael McDermott, pianist Marco Rizzello, and tenor Demetrious Sampson Jr. Six artists have also been chosen as returning Butler Studio artists. They are: sopranos Meryl Dominguez and {…}
The Houston Grand Opera has announced its 2023-24 season, which will feature a world premiere. Jamie Barton, Janai Brugger, J‘Nai Bridges, Caitlin Lynch, Nicholas Newton, Michael Mayes, and Joshua Blue star in Jake Heggie and Gene Scheer’s “Intelligence.” Kwamé Ryan conducts the production by Jawole Willa Jo Zollar. Performance Dates: Oct. 20-Nov. 3, 2024 Reginald Smith, Jr. sings the title role of Vedi’s “Falstaff” with Nicole Heaston, Blake {…}
On February 24, 2023, Houston Grand Opera will present their fourth annual Giving Voice concert, in partnership with Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church, the Houston Ebony Opera Guild, Prairie View A&M University, and Texas Southern University. The performance will feature acclaimed tenor and series creator Lawrence Brownlee, joined by tenor George Shirley, and soprano Nicole Heaston; as well as HGO Studio {…}
The Houston Grand Opera has announced that Sarah and Ernest Butler created a new fund within the HGO Endowment for $22 million. Per an official press statement, this is the largest philanthropical investment in the company’s 68-year history. Moreover, the company will rename its training program the Sarah and Ernest Butler Houston Grand Opera Studio. The announcement was made during {…}