Houston Grand Opera News

Casting has been announced for Cameron Mackintosh's spectacular new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA for its highly anticipated return to Dallas, presented by Dallas Summer Musicals and Broadway Across America at The Music Hall at Fair Park December 19 through January 6.

Bard College announces the appointment of celebrated opera singer and recitalist Stephanie Blythe as artistic director of the Bard College Conservatory of Music Graduate Vocal Arts Program (VAP) beginning in July 2019. One of the most highly respected and critically acclaimed artists of her generation, mezzo-soprano Blythe possesses a repertoire ranging from Handel to Wagner and from German lieder to contemporary and classic American song. Blythe has performed on many of the world's great stages, such as Carnegie Hall; the Metropolitan Opera; Covent Garden; Paris National Opera; and San Francisco, Chicago Lyric, and Seattle Operas. She was named Musical America's Vocalist of the Year, received an Opera News Award, and won the Richard Tucker Award. Blythe recently released her first crossover recording on the Innova label with pianist Craig Terry.

A prince's quest to prove his worth and rescue his beloved leads to a fantastic adventure filled with danger and mysticism in the Metropolitan Opera's holiday presentation of Mozart's The Magic Flute, with performances December 19, 2018 to January 5, 2019. This English-language adaptation of the classic fairy tale, performed in a 100-minute version of the Met's popular production by visionary theater artist Julie Taymor, is the perfect introduction to opera for the whole family, as well as a holiday treat for those who are already admirers of Mozart. The performances are led by acclaimed Mozart conductor Harry Bicket.

San Francisco Opera presents the West Coast premiere of It's a Wonderful Life by composer Jake Heggie and librettist Gene Scheer in nine holiday-season performances from November 17 through December 9. The two-act work, a co-commission and co-production between San Francisco Opera, Houston Grand Opera and the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, is based in part on Frank Capra's 1946 film It's a Wonderful Life and The Greatest Gift, a story by Philip Van Doren Stern.

Lucinda y las Flores de la Noche Buena is a coming of age Mexican Christmas folktale revealing the moral that any gift is beautiful because it is given, featuring Mexican folk tunes and traditional Christmas carols. Last year Opera in the Heights (Oh!) produced the Houston premiere of a bilingual and family-friendly holiday opera, Evan Mack's Lucinda y las Flores de la Noche Buena (Lucinda and the Christmas Eve Flower).

OPERA America, the national service organization for opera and the nation's leading champion for American opera, is proud to announce the 2019 finalists of the Robert L.B. Tobin Director-Designer Showcase, a biennial program offered as part of OPERA America's continuing commitment to foster emerging opera artists. The showcase, made possible through generous support from the Tobin Theatre Arts Fund, was established to bring promising talent to the attention of field leaders and connect up-and-coming directors and designers with those who are in a position to advance their careers.

Washington National Opera (WNO) continues its annual holiday family opera tradition with The Lion, the Unicorn, and Me, December 14-16, 2018, in the Kennedy Center Terrace Theater. Based on Jeanette Winterson's award-winning children's book which tells the Nativity story from the donkey's point of view, The Lion, the Unicorn, and Me features music by Tony-award winning composer Jeanine Tesori (Fun Home) and a libretto by the late poet J.D. 'Sandy' McClatchy. These performances star current and former members of WNO's Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program.

Technically the effects still work, and I watched as the shocked younger members of the audience witnessed practical effects to contrast all the CGI they had grown up on. PHANTOM OF THE OPERA still has the same magic three decades later.

San Francisco Opera Center Director Sheri Greenawald today announced the 12 recipients of the 2019 Adler Fellowship. Selected from participants of the Merola Opera Program, the ten singers and two pianist/apprentice coaches begin their fellowships in January 2019. The multi-year performance-oriented residency offers advanced young artists intensive individual training, coaching and professional seminars, as well as a wide range of performance opportunities. Since its inception in 1977, the prestigious fellowship has nurtured the development of more than 180 young artists, introducing many budding stars to the international opera stage and launching active careers throughout the world as performers, production artists, arts professionals and educators.

You may have seen Eric Owens, the internationally acclaimed bass- baritone, when he sang a trio of operas at the Metropolitan Opera that included the Met premiere of Kaijo Saariaho's L'amour de Loin, a new production of Rusalka under Sir Mark Elder, and a revival of Idomeneo conducted by James Levine, all of which were broadcast through the Met's Live in HD series.

Berkeley Repertory Theatre today announced the full cast and creative team for Paradise Square: An American Musical. The world premiere is helmed by acclaimed director Moises Kaufman, with choreography by the legendary Bill T. Jones and a book by Marcus Gardley, Craig Lucas, and Larry Kirwan. Music by Jason Howland and Larry Kirwan, with lyrics by Nathan Tysen, and based on the songs of Stephen Foster. Paradise Square is produced by special arrangement with Garth H. Drabinsky in association with Peter LeDonne and Teatro Proscenium Limited Partnership.

On Friday, December 14 at 7:00 p.m., the Carnegie Hall Notables-a membership and ticket program for music enthusiasts in their 20s and 30s-presents Jamie Barton in an exclusive concert in Zankel Hall for Notables members only. The concert features the award-winning mezzo-soprano alongside pianist Kathleen Kelly performing Lee Hoiby's Bon Appetit!-a 20-minute operatic scene for mezzo-soprano and piano based on an actual Julia Child cooking show-with additional selections to be announced from the stage.

EXPERIMENTS IN OPERA Presents 'Modularias' Friday November 2, 2018 at 7:00pm and Today November 3, 2018 at 3:00pm and 7:00pm.

EXPERIMENTS IN OPERA Presents 'Modularias' Today November 2, 2018 at 7:00pm and Saturday November 3, 2018 at 3:00pm and 7:00pm.

It wouldn't be the holidays in New Mexico without Mariachi Christmas. Returning for its 20th year, the show brings an authentic Mexican celebration to the stage at Popejoy Hall. Music and dance combine for a production filled with energy, tradition, and Christmas spirit. Experience holiday bliss and rich heritage on Sunday, December 9, 2018 at 3 pm.From University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV), musical artist, Mariachi Aztlan, and Mexican folkloric ensemble, Ballet Folklorico, come together for a holiday celebration.

San Francisco Opera announces "Earn Your Wings" (#EarnYourWings), a new initiative designed to promote civic engagement and which recognizes Community Housing Partnership and Compass Family Services-two organizations making an impact in the City of San Francisco by providing life-changing services and housing to families and individuals at risk of or who have experienced homelessness. The campaign is born from the Company's focus on developing civic practices as part of a strategic framework to guide the organization into its centennial 2022-23 Season and beyond. With the launch of #EarnYourWings and similar programs in the future, San Francisco Opera renews its commitment to form responsive, long-term reciprocal relationships with community partners.

In 2019, San Francisco's acclaimed Merola Opera Program will present the first opera commissioned in the Program's history, the world premiere of If I Were You, by distinguished American composer Jake Heggie and noted librettist Gene Scheer. This ground-breaking work will be presented August 1 - 6, 2019, at San Francisco's Herbst Theatre. Today it was announced the opera will be conducted by Nicole Paiement and directed by Keturah Stickann. Information is available at www.merola.org. Tickets will go on sale in Spring 2019.

San Francisco Opera presents the West Coast premiere of It's a Wonderful Life by composer Jake Heggie and librettist Gene Scheer in nine holiday-season performances from November 17 through December 9. The two-act work, a co-commission and co-production between San Francisco Opera, Houston Grand Opera and the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, is based in part on Frank Capra's 1946 film It's a Wonderful Life and The Greatest Gift, a story by Philip Van Doren Stern.

The internationally acclaimed Broadway @ concert series hosted and music directed by SiriusXM Radio Star Seth Rudetsky is finally landing smack dab in the middle of Broadway itself this fall. kicking-off with legendary Tony, Grammy, and Emmy Award-winner Audra McDonald on November 12.  

Lyric Opera of Chicago is pleased to announce the participation of several outstanding singers in the Renee Fleming 25th Anniversary Concert & Gala*, to honor and celebrate American soprano Renee Fleming's extraordinary commitment to Chicago and her unparalleled contributions to our art form.