Houston Grand Opera Will Host 2026 Butler Studio Showcase
Seven returning and five new artists will perform scenes from Das Rheingold, La bohème, and other works.
The Sarah and Ernest Butler Houston Grand Opera Studio will present the annual Butler Studio Showcase in a 2:30 p.m. performance on Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in the Cullen Theater at the Wortham Theater Center.
A favorite tradition for HGO audiences, the Butler Studio Showcase celebrates the remarkable young artists who each year train with the company's internationally recognized Sarah and Ernest Butler Houston Grand Opera Studio. Seven returning artists and five new members will take the stage in an evening of fully staged, costumed scenes that span the opera repertory, offering an exciting glimpse of their exceptional talents. This year's program includes selections from Das Rheingold, La bohème, Eugene Onegin, L'amico Fritz, Don Carlo, and The Flying Dutchman.
For nearly 50 years, HGO's Butler Studio has served as a launching pad for many of opera's most exciting careers. Widely recognized as one of the world's leading young artist programs, the program provides the field's most promising emerging singers and pianists with up to three years of personalized training, mentorship from renowned artists, and invaluable performance opportunities on HGO's stages.
HGO's 2026-27 Butler Studio Artists
- Alissa Goretsky, soprano/third-year artist (third-place winner at HGO's 2024 Eleanor McCollum Competition Concert of Arias)
- Elizabeth Hanje, soprano/third-year artist (first-place winner at 2024 Concert of Arias)
- Scarlett Jones, soprano/first-year artist (first-place winner at 2026 Concert of Arias)
- Lauren Randolph, mezzo-soprano/first-year artist (third-place winner at 2026 Concert of Arias)
- Misael Corralejo, tenor/first-year artist (second-place and Audience Choice winner at 2026 Concert of Arias)
- Luka Tsevelidze, tenor/second-year artist (second-place winner at 2025 Concert of Arias)
- Geonho Lee, baritone/second-year artist (first-place winner and Audience Choice winner at 2025 Concert of Arias)
- Tzvi Bat Asherah, bass-baritone/first-year artist (finalist in 2026 Concert of Arias)
- Sam Dhobhany, bass-baritone/third-year artist (winner of the Ana María Martínez Encouragement Award at 2024 Concert of Arias)
- Ziniu Zhao, bass/third-year artist (second-place winner at 2024 Concert of Arias)
- Maeve Berry, pianist/coach/first-year artist
- Tzu Kuang Tan, pianist/coach/second-year artist
Photo Credit: Houston Grand Opera) and 2025 Butler Studio Showcase video and photos
