HGO to Conclude 2017 Winter Season with Verdi's 'Mighty' REQUIEM

Widely recognized as one of the most dramatic works written in the form of the Christian liturgy, Verdi's mighty REQUIEM differs from those of other composers in that it demands operatic performing forces; it has been called "an opera in disguise."

The work premiered in 1874 at Milan's Church of San Marco with four operatic soloists and the composer on the podium. The occasion was the anniversary of the death of Italian poet and national hero Alessandro Manzoni, to whom Verdi dedicated the work. Subsequent performances often took place in opera houses, and from the beginning, critics remarked, some disapprovingly, on the work's operatic nature. What has never been questioned is the REQUIEM's profound spiritual, even cathartic impact, which has caused it to be performed under the most trying of circumstances, such as in a World War II concentration camp, and excerpted on such occasions as the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales, and in New York City after the 9/11 tragedy.

Houston welcomes the Super Bowl in February 2017, and the surrounding logistics have created challenges to the presentation of fully staged opera at the Wortham Theater Center during that period. HGO is delighted to take this opportunity to devote the company's full operatic forces to Verdi's iconic score, including the HGO Orchestra led by Artistic & Music Director Patrick Summers and the largest HGO Chorus in the company's history, directed by HGO's highly respected chorus master, Richard Bado, along with four outstanding soloists, February 10-18, 2017.

Angela Meade, whose Norma at the Metropolitan Opera created a critical stir, will make her HGO debut as the soprano soloist. At her REQUIEM performance at the BBC Proms, her voice was "all gilded evanescence and glow" (The Arts Desk). Sasha Cooke-Magnolia Hawks in HGO's 2013 Show Boat and noted by the Los Angeles Times for her "standout" performance as Anna in San Francisco Opera's 2015 Les Troyens-will be the alto soloist. The tenor soloist will be Alexey Dolgov, a hit with Houston audiences in 2015 as both Pinkerton in Madame Butterfly and Cavaradossi in Tosca. The bass soloist will be Peixin Chen, a 2015 HGO Studio alumnus who sang Dr. Bartolo in HGO's The Marriage of Figaro last season and performed Sparafucile in Rigoletto at Santa Fe Opera (2015).

HGO stages Verdi's REQUIEM, sung in Latin with projectEd English translation in 2017, on February 10, 12m, 15, 17, and 18 at the Wortham Theater Center, 510 Preston Street. For more information, please call 713-228-6737 or visit houstongrandopera.org.