Houston Grand Opera News

Lyric Unlimited presents the world premiere of The Property, a klezmer opera by composer Wlad Marhulets and librettist Stephanie Fleischmann. It opens Wednesday, February 25, with five performances through Thursday, March 5. World premiere presentations of The Property are presented in partnership with the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood Feb. 25, 26, 27, with additional performances at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in suburban Skokie Mar. 4-5.

Houston, January 29, 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 Carlisle Floyd's Prince of Players; Dvo?ak'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 and 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 another chamber opera, by composer David Hanlon and librettist Stephanie Fleischmann, about the impact of hurricanes on the Texas Gulf coast.

Richard Wagner's Die Walküre is opera at its most epic with incredible vocal demands, a 110-piece orchestra and a story about gods and mortals, all played out to one of opera's most powerful and iconic scores. This immense work returns to the Canadian Opera Company this winter with a critically acclaimed production by renowned Canadian directorAtom Egoyan, with COC Music DirectorJohannes Debus conducting, and one of the most hotly anticipated role debuts of the opera world this season: Grammy Award-winning soprano Christine Goerke as the Valkyrie Brünnhilde. Die Walküre is sung in German with English SURTITLESTM and runs for seven performances at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts tonight, January 31, and February 4, 7, 10, 13, 19, 22, 2015.

Houston Grand Opera is proud to present The Magic Flute, one of two Mozart offerings for the 2014–15 season. From the coloratura pyrotechnics of the Queen of the Night to Pamina's anguished lament, to the comic love duet of Papageno and Papagena, Mozart's genius is evident as the music in The Magic Flute illustrates his unique and profound understanding of humanity. The Magic Flute marks the American premiere of Sir Nicholas Hytner's iconic English National Opera staging, in a revival directed by Ian Rutherford.

Orange County, Calif.—Jan. 28, 2015—Pacific Symphony, in partnership with Bowers Museum, presents “A Feast for the Senses,” an enchanting evening of Chinese music, dining and discovery surrounding the Bowers' current special exhibition, “China's Lost Civilization: The Mystery of Sanxingdui.” An upscale and one-of-a-kind experience, guests are treated to a fusion of music and history as Symphony musicians are interwoven between mysterious artifacts, performing music curated by Chinese American composer Huang Ruo and featuring world-renowned pipa player Zhou Yi. The ancient jades, cast bronzes and life-size statues of the exhibition were found in Sanxingdui and date to about 1200 B.C. The “Lost Civilization” has been termed “the ninth wonder of the world” and is claimed by scholars to be one of the greatest archaeological finds ever unearthed. After seeing the museum's collections and enjoying a reception of music and art, guests enter the John. M. Lee Court to hear a performance of music by Huang Ro, as well as taste an authentic Sichuan Province-inspired dinner and dessert presented by Bowers' award-winning restaurant, Tangata. This event is sponsored by The James Irvine Foundation as part of its New California Arts Fund initiative.

North Carolina Opera is thrilled to bring a cutting-edge opera experience to Triangle patrons this January with Approaching Ali, a 50-minute contemporary chamber opera. In his operatic debut, Richmond-based composer D.J. Sparr's Approaching Ali stunned and delighted Kennedy Center audiences last year in a performance that the Washington Times called “intensely emotional.”

Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) Music Director Marin Alsop and the BSO present Mahler's epic Third Symphony tonight, January 29 at 8 p.m. and Friday, January 30 at 8 p.m. at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, and Saturday, January 31 at 8 p.m. at The Music Center at Strathmore.

Pacific Symphony, in partnership with Bowers Museum, presents 'A Feast for the Senses,' an enchanting evening of Chinese music, dining and discovery surrounding the Bowers' current special exhibition, 'China's Lost Civilization: The Mystery of Sanxingdui.'

San Francisco Opera Center and the Merola Opera Program present the 33rd season of the Schwabacher Debut Recitals, beginning February 8, 2015 with soprano Erin Johnson and pianist Sun Ha Yoon at Temple Emanu-El's Martin Meyer Sanctuary in San Francisco.

On January 30, Houston's two major opera houses will begin performances of Mozart's final two completed operas - LA CLEMENZA DI TITO and THE MAGIC FLUTE. Opera in the Heights will open LA CLEMENZA DI TITO for the first time in Houston since 1991, and Houston Grand Opera will open THE MAGIC FLUTE.

CHICAGO – Lyric Opera of Chicago presents the fiery melodrama Tosca by Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924) conducted by Dmitri Jurowski in a new production by John Caird. It opens on Saturday, January 24 with 10 performances through Saturday, March 14. Performance dates are Jan. 24, 27, Feb. 2, 27, Mar. 3, 14 at 7:30pm; and Jan. 30, Feb. 5, Mar. 8, 11 at 2pm. Check out a first look at the production below!

Brian Jagde, one of the outstanding tenors of his generation with a burgeoning international career, will make his Lyric Opera of Chicago debut performing the role of the painter/revolutionary Mario Cavaradossi in Puccini's fiery melodrama Tosca tonight, Jan. 24-Feb. 5, Lyric's general director Anthony Freudannounced today. Jagde replaces the previously announced Ukrainian tenor Misha Didyk, who withdrew from the production for personal reasons.

Bayou City Concert Musicals will present the 2015 Kim Hupp Award to veteran Houston Producer/Actress Mitzi Wayne Weiss as part of its fundraising event, Something Wonderful: The Music of Rodgers & Hammerstein, at 7:30 p.m., tonight, January 24, 2015, at the Cullen Performance Hall of The University of St. Thomas, 4001 Mt. Vernon.

DALLAS, JANUARY 22, 2014 –The Dallas Opera and The Dallas Opera Guild are proud to announce historic levels of participation in the first phase of the newly expanded Dallas Opera Guild Vocal Competition, scheduled to take place on the weekend of April 18-19, 2015 in the acoustically acclaimed setting of the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center.

Houston Grand Opera (HGO) Managing Director Perryn Leech and Artistic and Music Director Patrick Summers today announced the appointment of Brian Speck as director of the Houston Grand Opera Studio, the company's renowned young artist program, effective February 1. A trained singer who transitioned into administration, Speck for the past two years has been HGO's company manager, responsible for coordinating all day-to-day rehearsal activities of the company and for supporting its guest artists.

Houston Grand Opera (HGO) has completed its fundraising campaign by raising an unprecedented $172.9 million, topping its goal of $165 million by December 31, 2014. Inspiring Performance—The Campaign for Houston Grand Opera was the company's first comprehensive fundraising campaign, and the most successful campaign in the history of Houston's performing arts community.

St. Ann's Warehouse welcomes back the National Theatre of Scotland, director John Tiffany and associate director Steven Hoggett for the American Premiere of Let the Right One In, which Jack Thorne adapted for the stage from John Ajvide Lindqvist's novel and screenplay, and which garnered tremendous acclaim on London's West End earlier in 2014.

Mama Drama will play The Duplex on January 23 at 6:30 and February 9 at 6:30. The Duplex is located at 61 Christopher St. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased online at www.purplepass.com.

Tonight, January 17, 2015 Houston Ballet's documentary Houston Ballet: Breaking Boundaries will air on KPRC Channel 2 from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m.

Serrano NY, LLC is thrilled to present the World Premiere of SERRANO THE MUSICAL, book and lyrics by Madeline Sunshine, music by Robert Tepper, musical direction by Jeff Rizzo (Sunset Blvd. The Wizard of Oz), choreography by Peggy Hickey (A Gentlemen's Guide to Love and Murder) and directed by Tony nominee Joel Zwick (Dance With Me, 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding'). SERRANO THE MUSICAL will begin previews on Thursday, January 8, 2015 and will open tonight, January 16 at 8pm and run through Sunday, March 29 at the Matrix Theatre, 7657 Melrose Ave. in West Hollywood.