Ben Edquist News

Houston Grand Opera (HGO) announced today the winners of the 30th annual Eleanor McCollum Competition for Young Singers that took place at Stude Concert Hall at Rice University. For the second time, the Concert of Arias was streamed live on Facebook, as well as on YouTube for the first time. The livestream was hosted by award-winning soprano and HGO Studio alumna Tamara Wilson. The winners were announced during the second portion of the program.

The Houston Symphony will be joined by members of the North Shore Senior High School Chorus at 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 2, for A Grinch Christmas, a festive concert centered on Dr. Seuss' classic holiday tale.

Houston Grand Opera (HGO) will present Glory Denied, the story of an American family during the turbulent Vietnam War era, on Monday, November 6 and Thursday, November 9, at 7:30 p.m. at the 1940 Air Terminal Museum Hangar at Hobby Airport.

Houston Grand Opera announced at its annual meeting today that its 2016-17 season closed on a strong financial footing despite recent pressures on the Houston economy.

Houston Grand Opera (HGO) marks the sixth decade of making the art of opera accessible to all audiences at Miller Outdoor Theatre with two free, fully staged performances of Donizetti's The Elixir of Love on May 19 and 20, starting at 8 p.m. A magic elixir gives a love-struck young man the extra dose of confidence he needs to thwart a rival and win the woman of his dreams, but the elixir creates just as many problems as it solves. The bright, sunny production is set on the Amalfi Coast in the 1950s-complete with Vespas and a hot air balloon. With beautiful melodies and a hilarious story, it's the perfect entry point to the world of opera for the young and the young-at-heart.   

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.

Jim Schubin of Plainsboro, NJ, and Brian Vu of Los Angeles, both earned top prizes in the 2016 Lotte Lenya Competition, sponsored by the Kurt Weill Foundation for Music and held on April 16, 2016 in Kilbourn Hall of the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY.

Houston, March 28, 2016—Houston Grand Opera (HGO) opens its spring repertory with Siegfried, the much- anticipated third installment of Wagner's epic Ring cycle, on April 16. The ground-breaking Ring by Carlus Padrissa of Catalan theater company La Fura dels Baus, with its cutting-edge visuals and acrobats in tableaux of human scenery, has thrilled Houston audiences and played to sold-out houses.

After an international search, Houston Grand Opera (HGO) has chosen three new singers and one new pianist/coach for the 2016-17 HGO Studio. The artists are Yelena Dyachek, soprano, the Ana Maria Martinez Encouragement Award recipient at Concert of Arias 2016;  Zoie Reams, mezzo-soprano, the second-place prize winner at Concert of Arias 2016;  Sol Jin, baritone, the Audience Choice Award winner at Concert of Arias 2016; and Peter Walsh, pianist/coach. One of the most respected and highly competitive young artist programs in the world, the HGO Studio provides comprehensive career development to young singers, pianist/coaches, and conductors who have demonstrated potential to make major contributions to the field of opera. The HGO Studio received applications from 475 artists; of those, about 275 were heard in auditions in Houston, New York, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, and Los Angeles. For singers, the audition process culminates in HGO's annual Eleanor McCollum Competition for Young Singers, held this year on February 4.

Houston, March 7, 2016—After an international search, Houston Grand Opera (HGO) has chosen three new singers and one new pianist/coach for the 2016–17 HGO Studio. The artists are Yelena Dyachek, soprano, the Ana María Martínez Encouragement Award recipient at Concert of Arias 2016; Zoie Reams, mezzo-soprano, the second-place prize winner at Concert of Arias 2016; Sol Jin, baritone, the Audience Choice Award winner at Concert of Arias 2016; and Peter Walsh, pianist/coach. One of the most respected and highly competitive young artist programs in the world, the HGO Studio provides comprehensive career development to young singers, pianist/coaches, and conductors who have demonstrated potential to make major contributions to the field of opera. The HGO Studio received applications from 475 artists; of those, about 275 were heard in auditions in Houston, New York, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, and Los Angeles. For singers, the audition process culminates in HGO's annual Eleanor McCollum Competition for Young Singers, held this year on February 4.

Houston Grand Opera (HGO) presents the world premiere of PRINCE OF PLAYERS by distinguished American composer Carlisle Floyd on March 5, 11, and 13, 2016. A chamber opera in two acts, PRINCE OF PLAYERS is a high-spirited period piece that examines the fluidity of sexuality and gender roles. Scroll down for a first look at the cast onstage!

Houston Grand Opera (HGO) will present the world premiere of Prince of Players by distinguished American composer Carlisle Floyd tonight, March 5, and March 11 and 13, 2016. A chamber opera in two acts, Prince of Players is a high-spirited period piece that examines the fluidity of sexuality and gender roles.

Houston, February 8, 2016—Houston Grand Opera (HGO) will present the world premiere of Prince of Players by distinguished American composer Carlisle Floyd on March 5, 11, and 13, 2016. A chamber opera in two acts, Prince of Players is a high-spirited period piece that examines the fluidity of sexuality and gender roles.

Houston Grand Opera (HGO) will present the world premiere of O Columbia, a chamber opera created by an acclaimed team of artists: composer Gregory Spears, librettist Royce Vavrek, stage director Kevin Newbury, and conductor Timothy Myers-tonight and tomorrow, September 23 and 24 at 8:00 p.m. at the Bayou Music Center.

Houston, August 17, 2015—Houston Grand Opera's (HGO) 2015–16 season showcases the vibrant and diverse artistic mix that marks HGO as a leading 21st-century American opera company: Wagner's Siegfried, the third installment of La Fura dels Baus's imaginative Ring cycle featuring a new generation of Wagnerians; the world premiere of Prince of Players by eminent American composer Carlisle Floyd, the Lynn Wyatt Great Artist for 2015–16; Dvoák's fairy tale rarity Rusalka; a holiday revival of family favorite The Little Prince from the award-winning composer Rachel Portman and librettist Nicholas Wright; a new production of The Marriage of Figaro; a new-to-Houston Eugene Onegin; a beloved core production, Tosca; and the Houston debut of Broadway sensation Rob Ashford's take on the classic musical Carousel. Through its community collaboration program HGOco, the company will present two additional world premieres: O Columbia, a chamber opera by composer Gregory Spears and librettist Royce Vavrek that examines the past, present, and future of the American spirit of exploration; and The Root of the Wind is Water, a chamber opera by composer David Hanlon and librettist Stephanie Fleischmann about the impact of hurricanes on the Texas Gulf coast.

Houston, July 21, 2015— Houston Grand Opera (HGO) will present the world premiere of O Columbia, a chamber opera created by an acclaimed team of artists: composer Gregory Spears, librettist Royce Vavrek, stage director Kevin Newbury, and conductor Timothy Myers—on September 23 and 24 at 8:00 p.m. at the Bayou Music Center. O Columbia examines the past, present, and future of the American spirit of exploration and celebrates the identity of America's frontiersmen and women. O Columbia will be HGO's 57th world premiere.

In a record-breaking year for the number of prizes and total cash awarded, Lauren Michelle, of Los Angeles, won the $15,000 First Prize in the finals of the 2015 Lotte Lenya Competition, sponsored by the Kurt Weill Foundation for Music and held on April 18, 2015, in Kilbourn Hall of the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y. Robin Bailey, of London, U.K., and Jordan Davidson, of Philadelphia, N.Y., both won Second Prizes of $10,000, and two Third Prizes of $7,500 each were awarded to Adam Fieldson, of Lincoln, Neb., and Michael Maliakel, of New York.

Fourteen exceptionally talented singer-actors from the United States, United Kingdom, and Germany have been selected as finalists in the 2015 Lotte Lenya Competition, held annually by the Kurt Weill Foundation for Music. They will compete for top prizes of $15,000, $10,000 and $7,500 on Saturday, April 18, 2015, in Rochester, New York.

After a worldwide search, Houston Grand Opera has chosen seven new members for the 2015–16 HGO Studioprogram. One of the most respected and highly competitive young artist programs in the world, the HGO Studio provides comprehensivecareer development to young singers, pianist/coaches, and conductors who have demonstrated potential to make major contributions to thefield of opera. The HGO Studio received applications from 500 artists; of those, about 275 were heard in Houston, New York, Philadelphia,Cincinnati, and San Francisco. For singers, the audition process culminates in HGO's annual Eleanor McCollum Competition Concert of Arias, held this year on February 5.

Houston, TX - February 4, 2015: Houston Grand Opera announced today the finalists for the annual Eleanor McCollum Competition for Young Singers Concert of Arias, to be presented in the Cullen Theater at the Wortham Theater Center on Thursday, February 5, at 7 p.m. This year's finalists are: