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 {…}
Houston Grand Opera has announced the return of “Giving Voice: Lawrence Brownlee and Friends Sing Opera, Gospel, and Standards” on Jan. 22, 2021. The original concert sold out during its initial showcase back in 2020 at Wortham, and this latest installment will feature the return of Lawrence Brownlee as co-host alongside soprano Nicole Heaston. The free digital stream will feature {…}
Houston Grand Opera will continue its “Live from the Cullen” series on Jan. 8, 2020 with a performance featuring mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke. The showcase will see the Grammy Award-winning artist perform alongside pianist Kirill Kuzmin, who is the principal coach at the Houston Grand Opera. Audiences can check out the performance on Marquee.tv. or the Houston Grand Opera’s official website. {…}
Credit: Marica Rosengard Celebrated Finnish soprano Karita Mattila has been awarded the Order of the Lion of Finland, First Class Commander Badge. The Order of the Lion of Finland is one of three official orders in Finland, along with the Order of the Cross of Liberty and the Order of the White Rose of Finland. The famed Finnish soprano has {…}
Houston Grand Opera is set to present “HGO Studio Holiday Celebration” on Dec. 18, 2020. The showcase, which can be streamed on the company’s digital platform will feature artists from the HGO Studio as they take on a wide range of holiday favorites. Among those artists are Lindsay Kate Brown, Blake Denson, Ricardo Garcia, Cory McGee, Raven McMillon, Alex Munger, {…}
The Houston Grand Opera has announced that Managing Director Perryn Leech will leave the organization, effective on Dec. 31, 2020. Leech has been with the company for nearly 14 years and served as its managing director for the last nine years. With Leech’s departure, the company will change its leadership structure. As it stands, the organization’s leadership duties are divided {…}
The Houston Grand Opera has announced that it will present a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of “The Snowy Day.” “The Making of The Snowy Day: An Opera for All on HGO” is set for online release on Dec. 10, 2020 and will feature a collaboration between the opera’s creative team with documentarian Annalise Ophenlian. The film explores the creative {…}
The Houston Grand Opera has canceled its entire 2020-21 season. In a press release the company said, “after carefully weighing options, in accordance with recommendations from global health leaders, Houston Grand Opera has made the difficult decision to cancel the remaining mainstage productions for the 2020–21 season. The company now plans to resume live, in-person performance in the fall of {…}
Houston Grand Opera is set to present on November 27, 2020, a double-bill of “Bon Appétit!” and “The Impresario.” The first work is based on an episode of a children’s TV show called “The French Chef.” This one-woman opera is written by Lee Hoiby, directed by Ryan KcKinny, and will feature renowned mezzo Jamie Barton in the role of Julia {…}
Austin Opera, The Dallas Opera, Fort Worth Opera, Opera San Antonio, and Houston Grand Opera are joining forces to create the Texas Opera Alliance. The new partnership aims to advance and protect the future of opera in Texas. In its first year, the initiative will focus on cross-promoting digital content and programming as well as proving member companies access to {…}
Houston Grand Opera has announced that it will present “Vinkensport” or “The Finch opera” by composer David T. Little and Royce Vavrek. The showcase is set for Oct. 23, 2020 and will be streamed virtually for one month following release via Marquee TV. The performance will star Nicole Heaston as Sir Elton John’s Trainer with soprano Elena Villalón as Farinelli’s {…}