Ars Lyrica Houston Hosts A Mid-Winter Night's Dream Gala

Ars Lyrica Houston's A Mid-Winter Night's Dream Gala, honoring Dr. Sippi Khurana and chaired by Stephanie von Stein and Dr. Mark A. Schusterman will take place on Saturday, February 23, 2019 at the modern luxury Hotel Alessandra in downtown Houston.

The event supports Ars Lyrica's biennial Baroque opera productions, which begin this fall with Handel's Agrippina at the Hobby Center on November 16 and 18. The February gala begins at 6:30 pm with cocktails and hors d'oeuvres and continues with a spirited musical performance by mezzo-soprano Cecilia Duarte, lutenist Aresh Noori, and percussionist Jésus Pacheco, with remarks by Artistic Director Matthew Dirst. The Hotel Alessandra's continental European cuisine restaurant Lucienne will serve dinner on a wintry whimsical theme. This glamourous evening concludes with an upbeat "after-party" with dancing and drinks. Expect surprises around every corner!

Proceeds from this gala will support the 2020/21 Ars Lyrica Houston production of Purcell's Dido and Aneas, the next installment in Ars Lyrica's biennial series of Baroque opera productions in Houston.

Ars Lyrica Houston has become a leader in the performance of early music through its acclaimed performances and recordings of a wide range of Baroque repertoire, including operas. These theatrical spectacles offer full immersion in the world of 17th- and 18th-century culture, with elaborate scenic design, virtuosic singing, stylized dances, colorful orchestras, and profoundly human stories. No other musical genre from this era has the same capacity to move, excite, and inspire audiences-and Houston audiences will now be able to savor locally produced Baroque opera every other year!