Houston Grand Opera News

The fast-rising Luca Pisaroni was a hit at Houston Grand Opera in his house and role debut last month as Count Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro. After opening night, the Houston Chronicle reported: "With his dashing looks and proud manner, Pisaroni exudes complete authority and magnetism. His potent bass-baritone unfurls with such grandeur and resoluteness that one can easily believe this is a fellow who has spent his entire life getting his way."

A Blizzard On Marblehead Neck, Jeanine Tesori and Tony Kushner's one-act opera, received its world premiere at The Glimmerglass Festival Thursday, July 21.

Daniel Wolfsbauer Productions and The Open Acting Academy Hamburg-Wien are pleased to announce the US premiere of SURVIVING LOVE, written by Robert Chionis and directed by Stephan Perdekamp. In association with the Midtown International Theatre Festival, SURVIVING LOVE performs on: Wednesday, July 20 at 8:30 PM, Saturday, July 23 at 5:00 PM and Sunday, July 24 at 12:00 PM. Performances are at Main Stage Theatre (312 W. 36th Street, between 8th & 9th Avenues. Via subway take the A, C, E, 2, 3 to 34th Street-Penn Station; and the B, D, F, M, N, Q, R to 34th Street-Herald Square.). The regular ticket price is $18 ($15 for students and seniors). For tickets, call Ovation Tix on 866-811-4111 or visit www.ovationtix.com/trs/pr/834985. For more information, visit SURVIVING LOVE on Facebook at www.facebook.com/survivinglovenyc.

Anna Deveare Smith, who received a MacArthur Genius Award for her unique 'blend of theatrical art, social commentary, journalism, and intimate reverie,' is bringing her latest one-woman show Let Me Down Easy to The Broad Stage. There will be Previews on July 20 and Opening Night is July 22.

Madison Opera's Opera in the Park marks its tenth anniversary on Saturday, July 16 at 8 p.m. in Garner Park on Madison's West Side. The annual free concert of opera and Broadway favorites will close Madison Opera's 50th anniversary season.

According to Baz Bamingboye in his Daily Mail UK column, the Weinstein Company is planning a four-week workshop of the new musical, Finding Neverland, this fall in New York. The workshop, directed and choreographed by Rob Ashford is said to star Julian Ovenden as J.M. Barrie and Kelli O'Hara as Sylvia Llewelyn Davies. Bamingboye writes that 'if it works - and Ovenden and O'Hara are available - the Weinsteins will launch a big production for Broadway.'

Following a successful season which brought Long Beach Opera (LBO) increased ticket sales, a 20% growth in its subscriber base, and an unprecedented number of sold out performances, LBO announces its plans for 2012. The ambitious 'Absurd-Bizarre- Surreal' season will include a double bill of one-acts and three full-length operas. Commenting on his selections, LBO's Artistic and General Director Andreas Mitisek says, 'I like to provide a diverse look into the world of rarely seen, little known masterworks. Each of the 2012 operas fits that category. Where most companies cozy up to composers of the 19th century, in the coming season, LBO will highlight composers of the 20th century (Francis Poulenc, Bohuslav Martinu, Astor Piazzolla) and the 21st (Osvaldo Golijov, Michael Nyman).

One of the nation's most popular roots-rock band, Last Train Home, will be this year's featured entertainment at the McLean Community Center's (MCC) annual 4th of July Celebration.

A.R.T. American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) opens its 2011-12 season with The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess, by George Gershwin, DuBose and Dorothy Heyward, and Ira Gershwin. The adaptation by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Suzan-Lori Parks and Obie Award-winning composer Diedre L. Murray, directed by A.R.T. Artistic Director Diane Paulus, with choreography by Ronald K. Brown, begins previews on August 17 and opens for the reviewing press on August 31 at 7pm. Performances are at the Loeb Drama Center, 64 Brattle Street, Cambridge. Tickets for preview performances are currently on sale, remaining tickets for the run go on sale on July 12.

The George London Foundation for Singers has been honoring, supporting, and presenting the finest young opera singers in the U.S. and Canada for decades.

Norm Lewis, Audra McDonald, and David Alan Grier will star as Porgy, Bess, and Sportin' Life in A.R.T.'s new production of The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess. Performances will begin August 17 at the Loeb Drama Center in Cambridge, where it will run until October 2. The show's next stop will be on Broadway at the Richard Rodgers Theater, where it will begin previews on December 17th and will open on January 12th, 2012.

Italian bass-baritone Luca Pisaroni, who has proven to be an up-and-coming vocal and dramatic draw on both sides of the Atlantic, looks forward to capping his season with a high-profile European summer schedule. He returns to the U.K.'s Glyndebourne Festival to make his role debut as Argante in Handel's Rinaldo (July 2 - Aug 22), as well as appearing in the same production at London's world-famous BBC Proms festival on August 25.

One of the nation's most popular roots-rock band, Last Train Home, will be this year's featured entertainment at the McLean Community Center's (MCC) annual 4th of July Celebration.

Seattle Opera opens its 2011/12 season this summer with Porgy and Bess, the masterpiece by George Gershwin, DuBose and Dorothy Heyward, and Ira Gershwin.

Lead producers Aubrey Dan, Martyn Hayes and Peter W. Lamb for Dancap Productions Inc., have announced the creative team for PRINCE OF BROADWAY, a new musical celebrating legendary Broadway director and producer Harold 'Hal' Prince. PRINCE OF BROADWAY is in development now, aiming for a Toronto production in the summer of 2012, prior to opening on Broadway that fall.

Madison Opera's Opera in the Park marks its tenth anniversary on Saturday, July 16 at 8 p.m. in Garner Park on Madison's West Side. The annual free concert of opera and Broadway favorites will close Madison Opera's 50th anniversary season.

Daniel Wolfsbauer Productions and The Open Acting Academy Hamburg-Wien are pleased to announce the US premiere of SURVIVING LOVE, written by Robert Chionis and directed by Stephan Perdekamp. In association with the Midtown International Theatre Festival, SURVIVING LOVE performs on: Wednesday, July 20 at 8:30 PM, Saturday, July 23 at 5:00 PM and Sunday, July 24 at 12:00 PM. Performances are at Main Stage Theatre (312 W. 36th Street, between 8th & 9th Avenues. Via subway take the A, C, E, 2, 3 to 34th Street-Penn Station; and the B, D, F, M, N, Q, R to 34th Street-Herald Square.). The regular ticket price is $18 ($15 for students and seniors). For tickets, call Ovation Tix on 866-811-4111 or visit www.ovationtix.com/trs/pr/834985. For more information, visit SURVIVING LOVE on Facebook at www.facebook.com/survivinglovenyc.

Anna Deveare Smith, who received a MacArthur Genius Award for her unique 'blend of theatrical art, social commentary, journalism, and intimate reverie,' is bringing her latest one-woman show Let Me Down Easy to The Broad Stage. There will be Previews on July 20 and Opening Night is July 22.

The Oregon Shakespeare Festival expands its ongoing commitment to the development and production of new work with five new commissions announced today.

Gramophone's Artist of the Year Joyce DiDonato returns to the Metropolitan Opera to make her role debut as Isolier in Rossini's Le comte Ory, which opens tonight, Thursday, March 24. Directed by Bartlett Sher, this new production stars Diana Damrau as Countess Adele and Juan Diego Florez as the title character.