Navasard Hakobyan Takes Home Top Prize at Houston Grand Opera’s 34th Annual Eleanor McCollum Competition for Young Singers

Houston Grand Opera has announced the winners of its 34th Annual Eleanor McCollum Competition for Young Singers. First place went to baritone Navasard Hakobyan, who will take come $10,000. Coming in second was soprano Amanda Batista, who will earn $5,000. Taking home the third place prize of $3,000 will be bass-baritone Jongwon Han; he also won the Audience Choice Award. {…}

Jan 20, 2022

Houston Grand Opera Announces Finalists for 34th Annual Eleanor McCollum Competition for Young Singers

Houston Grand Opera has announced the nine finalists selected for the 34th Annual Eleanor McCollum Competition for Young Singers. The 2022 finalists are sopranos Amanda Batista, Tatiana Carlos, Meryl Dominguez, and Olivia Smith; mezzo-soprano Shannon Keegan; baritone Navasard Hakobyan; bass-baritones Jongwon Han and Evan Lazdowski; and bass Jonas Jud. The competition will culminate with the 2022 Concert of Arias, during {…}

Jan 11, 2022

Artist of the Week: Natalya Romaniw

Natalya Romaniw is considered one of Europe’s most promising stars. In the past few years, her profile has risen with many considering her the soprano of her “Generation” and going as far as to consider her the “British Anna Netrebko.” Now after making a name for herself in the U.K., the soprano is returning to Houston Grand Opera, where she {…}

Dec 3, 2021

Ana Maria Martinez, Michelle Bradley, Federico de Michelis Headline HGO Digital’s 2021-22 Season

Houston Grand Opera has announced the return of its HGO Digital, the Sarah and Ernest Butler Performance Series for the 2021-22 season. The streaming platform is set to return with HGO Studio Showcase, presenting the work of HGO Studio Artists. Streaming Dates: Dec. 3, 2021 – Jan. 2, 2022 Next up will be “The Snowy Day” which will be streamed {…}

Dec 2, 2021

Houston Grand Opera to Stream World Premiere of ‘The Snowy Day’

The Houston Grand Opera has announced that it will be streaming the opening performance of “The Snowy Day.” The opera, which will world premiere on Dec. 9, represents the company’s 71st world premiere ever. The opera was composed by Joel Thompson and features a libretto by Andrea David Pinkney. The opera will star Raven McMillon alongside Nicholas Newton, Elena Villalón, {…}

Nov 13, 2021

Karen Slack & Raven McMillon Highlight Houston Grand Opera’s World Premiere of ‘The Snowy Day’

(Credit: Kia Caldwell / HGO official website) The Houston Grand Opera is set to world premiere Joel Thompson and Andrea Davis Pinkney’s “The Snowy Day.” The opera, which is based on a book by Ezra Jack Keats, will star Karen Slack, Raven McMillon, Nicholas Newton, Elena Villalón, Blake Denson, Cory McGee, Andres Acosta, and Ricardo Garcia. HGO’s Artistic and Music {…}

Nov 13, 2021

Christine Goerke, Natalya Romaniw & Lauren Snouffer Headline Houston Grand Opera’s ‘Dialogues des Carmélites’

(Credit: © Arielle Doneson / Hilbert Management / Patrick Allen / Claire Mc Adams) The Houston Grand Opera will perform Poulenc’s “Dialogues des Carmélites” in January 2022. The opera will star Christine Goerke in the role of Madame Lidoine, Natalya Romaniw as Blanche, Lauren Snouffer as Sister Constance, Patricia Racette as Madame Croissy, and Jennifer Johnson Cano as Mother Marie. {…}

Jun 30, 2021

Opera San José General Director Khori Dastoor to Lead Houston Grand Opera as General Director and CEO

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, {…}

Jun 25, 2021

Houston Grand Opera to Present ‘An Evening with Jonas Kaufmann’

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 {…}

May 7, 2021

Karen Slack, Christine Goerke, Adriana Gonzalez Headline Houston Grand Opera’s 2021-22 Season

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 {…}

May 1, 2021

Houston Grand Opera To Present ‘Hansel and Gretel’ on HGO Digital

(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 {…}

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