Houston Grand Opera News

HGO's production of Gounod's FAUST puts the 'grand' in grand opera. The current production has all the bells and whistles - a timeless story, a top-notch cast, the costumes, sets and lighting of an all-out extravaganza. In short, it has everything the word 'opera' conjures up. And it's at the Wortham, all for you.

The Oratorio Society of New York fulfills its role as New York's champion of the grand choral tradition with the opening program of its 2016-17 season:  Mozart's "Great" Mass in C Minor, written to celebrate the composer's marriage, and Bruckner's Te Deum, a gem of a 19th-century choral masterwork that Bruckner called "the pride of my life."

Second Stage Theatre's New York Premiere production of NOTES FROM THE FIELD: DOING TIME IN EDUCATION, the latest work created, written and performed by groundbreaking theatre artist Anna Deavere Smith with music composed and performed by Marcus Shelby and directed by Leonard Foglia, opens tonight, November 2, 2016 at the Tony Kiser Theatre (305 West 43rd Street).

On Sunday, November 6, 2016 at 7:30pm, Works & Process at The Guggenheim presents a discussion with the creators and excerpts of Houston Grand Opera's upcoming world premiere of It's a Wonderful Life by composer Jake Heggie and librettist Gene Scheer.

Rubicon Theatre Company has announced the complete cast of RETURN TO THE FORBIDDEN PLANET, a fabulously campy send up of 'Forbidden Planet' and other sci-fi film and TV shows of the 1950s which melds plot elements from The Tempest with language from multiple plays by Shakespeare.

The fictional Second New Greater Lesser Mt Zion Bethel Church needs an amazing Christmas pageant to save the church.

American Composers Orchestra's (ACO), under the leadership of Artistic Director Derek Bermel and Music Director George Manahan, opens its 40th Anniversary Season today, October 28, 2016 at 7:30pm with Orchestra Underground: Contempo-Scary Music at Carnegie Hall's subterranean Zankel Hall.

The Old Globe today announced the cast and creative team for The Old Globe and University of San Diego Shiley Graduate Theatre Program presentation of William Shakespeare's The Two Gentlemen of Verona, running November 12 - November 20 in the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, directed by Richard Seer, Director of Professional Training for the M.F.A. program, as part of the Globe's Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. Opening night is Saturday, November 12 at 8:00 p.m.

Grammy Award-winning soprano (and Houston favorite) Ana Maria Martinez joins us to discuss about her role, Marguerite in HGO's FAUST; muse on the potential of opera to heal societal wounds; and give us some really practical advice.

Opera Australia's largest and most ambitious production returns to Melbourne in 2016. Directed by Neil Armfield, Wagner's Ring Cycle will play at Arts Centre Melbourne from 21 November to 16 December 2016.

BWW Review: Houston Grand Opera opens the season with an eye-popping ELIXIR OF LOVE

Sarasota Opera and the Hermitage Artist Retreat in Englewood, FL will collaborate once again on a series of talks to be held at the Sarasota Opera House.

Rubicon Theatre Company presents RETURN TO THE FORBIDDEN PLANET, a fabulously campy send up of 'Forbidden Planet' and other sci-fi film and TV shows of the 1950s which melds plot elements from The Tempest with language from multiple plays by Shakespeare.

There is perhaps no Broadway producer greater than Harold Prince, and he has some advice to share with producers everywhere. In Theatre Communications Group's American Theatre, Prince writes:

The Friends of Jones Hall presents THE JONES HALL 50TH BALL - A MAD MID-CENTURY CELEBRATION AND CONCERT, a gala and concert featuring world-renowned violinist Itzhak Perlman with the Houston Symphony Orchestra.

New Philharmonic the professional orchestra in residence at the McAninch Arts Center, continues its 40th Anniversary Season with 'An Evening of Gershwin' at the MAC Today, Oct. 22 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 23 at 3 p.m.

Tulsa Opera announces a thrilling lineup of four productions for the 2016-2017 Season.

Lyric Opera of Chicago today announced that, at its meeting earlier today, the Board of Directors voted unanimously to renew acclaimed general director Anthony Freud's five year contract. Mr. Freud will continue to lead the organization as general director through the 2020/21 season.

Six-time Tony winner Audra McDonald turned to Twitter today to announce that she and husband, Tony nominee Will Swenson have welcomed Sally James McDonald-Swenson, born last night at 11:16pm.

Cameron Mackintosh and Andrew Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Group welcome Derrick Davis, Jordan Craig, Trista Moldovan and Emily Ramirez to the principal cast of the spectacular new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera currently on national tour.