The Houston Grand Opera has announced that beginning August 1, 2022, Joel Thompson will be the company’s first full-time composer-in-residence. Thompson was previously commissioned for his first opera “The Snowy Day,” which the company world premiered during the 2021 season. In his new role, Thompson will live and work in Houston full time while a member of the company’s artistic {…}
Houston Grand Opera has announced that Jennifer Bowman will be its new Director of Community and Learning. She will assume her position starting on June 6, 2022. “My first foray into the operatic world took place at Houston Grand Opera. It was an experience I will never forget. I am honored to bring my career full circle and return to {…}
Houston Grand Opera will present Gounod’s “Romeo and Juliet” at Miller Outdoor Theater on May 20 and 21, 2022. The showcase will star Ricardo García and Elena Villalón in the title roles alongside Luke Sutliff, Geoffrey Hahn, Nicholas Newton, Donnie Ray Albert, Carlos Enrique Santelli, Sun-Ly Pierce, William Guanbo Su, Emily Treigle, Blake Denson, and Eric Taylor. Benjamin Manis conducts. {…}
The Houston Grand Opera has announced a cast change for its production of “Turandot.” The company noted that Adriana Gonzalez will perform the role of Liu on May 3 replacing Nicole Heaston. Gonzalez is currently performing the title role of Juliette in “Romeo et Juliette” in Houston making her company, U.S., and role debut. The soprano is a 2019 Operalia {…}
Huston Grand Opera (HGO) has accepted five new young artists into the HGO Studio program for the 2022-23 season. The new members include soprano Meryl Dominguez, baritone Navasard Hakobyan (Winner of HGO’s 2022 Eleanor McCollum Competition Concert of Arias), pianist/coach Michelle Papenfuss, soprano Renée Richardson, and mezzo-soprano Erin Wagner. They are joined by the second-year young artists which are tenor {…}
On April 29, the Houston Grand Opera will open a production of Gounod’s “Roméo et Juliette,” one of the most renowned French operas of all time and one that contains some of the greatest extended duets. And for this occasion The opera house has assembled a bright cast that includes the rising star, Adriana González. González is making her role {…}
Houston Grand Opera is set to present “Giving Voice” for the third straight year. The showcase, which was created by tenor Lawrence Brownlee back in 2020, will feature Nicole Heaston alongside Blake Denson, Sun-Ly Pierce, William Guanbo Su, Peixin Chen, Key’mon W. Murrah, Ryan Speedo Green, and pianists Kevin J. Miller and Bin Yu Sanford. The program will include arias, {…}
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 {…}