Houston Grand Opera Stages the Third Annual Giving Voice

On Saturday, March 19, 2022, Houston Grand Opera (HGO) will stage the third annual Giving Voice concert, a special celebration of opera's diverse artists that has become a beloved company tradition.

Giving Voice was created by Lawrence Brownlee, one of the world's most sought-after tenors, in 2020, and has since been replicated by other companies. The popular series showcases the diversity of opera artists while seeking to attract diverse audiences to the art form.

The first Giving Voice, which featured a spectacular group of Black opera stars singing a mix of arias, popular songs, spirituals, and gospel, was a sold-out triumph. The second concert, which HGO livestreamed as part of the inaugural HGO Digital season, provided hope and healing when HGO was unable to perform for live audiences. And now, the third Giving Voice will bring the best of both worlds: an incredible live performance that also will be streamed for free as part of HGO Digital season two.

This year, for the first time, the concert will showcase the talents of both Black and Asian opera artists, with celebrated soprano Nicole Heaston as host and vocal soloist, performing alongside baritone Blake Denson, mezzo-soprano Sun-Ly Pierce, bass William Guanbo Su, bass Peixin Chen, countertenor Key'mon W. Murrah, and bass-baritone Ryan Speedo Green, with Kevin J. Miller and Bin Yu Sanford playing piano. The program will include arias, spirituals, Broadway hits, Mongolian folk songs, and more.

The Giving Voice concert will stream through April 18 on Watch.HGODigital.org.

Who: Praised by the Houston Chronicle for her "warm supple soprano" and by the New York Times for her "radiant" and "handsomely resonant voice," soprano Nicole Heaston has appeared with opera companies throughout the world and has established a long-standing relationship with HGO, beginning as a member of the HGO Studio. This year, Heaston serves as both host and vocal soloist for Giving Voice. She also will appear with HGO this spring as Liù in Turandot.

Heaston will be joined by 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.

When: Saturday, March 19, 7 p.m.

HGODigital.org through April 18

Where: Cullen Theater, Wortham Theater Center, 501 Texas Ave.

Tariff: Tickets range from $25 to $65. For more information and to buy tickets, visit hgo.org or call the Box Office at 713-228-6737.

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