Houston Grand Opera News

The Met's acclaimed production of Puccini's Madama Butterfly, directed by the late Academy Award-winning film director Anthony Minghella, returns to the stage for twelve performances beginning Friday, October 24, 2008. Reprising their portrayals in the production this season are sopranos Patricia Racette and Cristina Gallardo-Domâs in the title role, tenors Roberto Aronica and Marcello Giordani as Pinkerton, and baritone Dwayne Croft as Sharpless. Patrick Summers conducts the opera for the first time at Met.

Houston Young People For the Arts is proud to announce that Culture Collision III will be held on Wednesday, October 8, 2008 at Discovery Green Park from 5 to 7:30 in the evening.

XANADU in Chicago will star Elizabeth Stanley as 'Kira' (played in the film version by Olivia Newton-John), Max Von Essen as 'Sonny,' Sharon Wilkins and Joanna Glushak as the evil Muses 'Melpomene' and 'Calliope,' respectively, and Larry Marshal as 'Danny' (played in the film version by Gene Kelly). XANADU's cast also features Tallia Brinson, Amy Goldberger, Vince Rodriguez III, Jason Michael Snow, Kristofer Stock, JB Wing and Chicagoland-natives Julius Thomas III and Tiffany Topol.

Houston Young People For the Arts is proud to announce that Culture Collision III will be held on Wednesday, October 8, 2008 at Discovery Green Park from 5 to 7:30 in the evening.

Casting is announced for the anticipated Chicago and Midwest premiere of the surprise hit Broadway musical XANADU at the Drury Lane Theatre Water Tower Place. Performances are scheduled to begin January 16, 2009 and individual tickets are now on sale.

The Metropolitan Opera opens its 2008-09 season on September 22 with a gala performance that kicks off its 125th anniversary, starring Renée Fleming in three fully-staged scenes, including some of her most acclaimed portrayals. Costumes for Fleming have been specially created for each of the scenes in the Opening Night Gala by three of the world's legendary fashion designers: John Galliano, Christian Lacroix, and Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel.

Author Ellis Nassour will be hosting an event to celebrate his book, Honky Tonk Angel: The Intimate Story of Patsy Cline, updated edition (Chicago Review Press, 2008), and to honor the birthday and life of a country music legend.

Author Ellis Nassour will be hosting an event to celebrate his book, Honky Tonk Angel: The Intimate Story of Patsy Cline, updated edition (Chicago Review Press, 2008), and to honor the birthday and life of a country music legend.

The Metropolitan Opera opens its 2008-09 season on September 22 with a gala performance that kicks off its 125th anniversary, starring Renée Fleming in three fully-staged scenes, including some of her most acclaimed portrayals. Costumes for Fleming have been specially created for each of the scenes in the Opening Night Gala by three of the world's legendary fashion designers: John Galliano, Christian Lacroix, and Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel.

Author Ellis Nassour will be hosting an event to celebrate his book, Honky Tonk Angel: The Intimate Story of Patsy Cline, updated edition (Chicago Review Press, 2008), and to honor the birthday and life of a country music legend.

DANCES PATRELLE's 'THE YORKVILLE NUTCRACKER' will have its 10th annual production, at The Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College (68th Street between Park & Lexington Avenues) NYC; December 11h - 14th. Once again The Yorkville Nutcracker will have students from: Ballet Academy East, Studio Maestro, The Ailey School and 92nd St Y Harkness Dance Center. The two-act ballet, has been choreographed by Artistic Director, Francis Patrelle. It has set design by Gillian Bradshaw-Smiths, costumes by Rita B. Watson, and lighting by David Grill. The cast will feature special guest artists from the New York City Ballet: Jenifer Ringer and Jared Angle.

YALE REPERTORY THEATRE (James Bundy, Artistic Director; Victoria Nolan, Managing Director) presents PASSION PLAY by Pulitzer Prize nominee and MacArthur Foundation Fellowship recipient Sarah Ruhl, directed by OBIE Award-winner Mark Wing-Davey at the University Theatre (222 York Street, New Haven), September 19-October 11 only. Opening Night is Thursday, September 25

On Tuesday, July 15, during its Annual Meeting at McCaw Hall, Seattle Opera General Director Speight Jenkins announced that the company's Artist of the Year awards went to tenor Lawrence Brownlee, who performed the role of Arturo in Seattle Opera's production of Bellini's I Puritani in May 2008, and to Thomas Lynch, set designer for Seattle Opera's production of Wagner's Flying Dutchman in August 2007 and Seattle Opera's co-production with the Metropolitan Opera of Gluck's Iphigenia in Tauris in October 2007.

Due to wide acclaim and overwhelming audience response, 'Arias with a Twist' has been extended through Sunday, August 31.

New York City Opera will present a series of concerts, showcases, discussions, screenings, and master classes in 2008-09, designed to bring the company's unique brand of music-making and cultural conversation to all five boroughs of New York City while renovations take place at its home, the New York State Theater.

Arena Stage presents Charles Ludlam's comic masterpiece The Mystery of Irma Vep. This clever, quick-change marathon ransacks literary, cinematic and pop culture as it satirizes everything from Hitchcock's Rebecca and classic horror film The Mummy's Curse to Wuthering Heights and Shakespeare. Arena Stage is excited to welcome back Brad Oscar (Broadway's Spamalot and The Producers, Arena's Cabaret and Damn Yankees) and J. Fred Shiffman (The Arthur Miller Festival, She Loves Me, Cabaret) as they portray all of the characters--men, women and monsters--in this gender-bending 'tour de force.' The Mystery of Irma Vep runs June 6 - July 13 at Arena Stage in Crystal City. The press opening performance is Thursday, June 12 at 8:00 p.m.

Celebrated Baritone Nathan Gunn, who will be performing the role of Lancelot in the New York Philharmonic's production of Camelot, discusses the classic musical and it's eternal passions, bonds of valor and it's tragic love triangle.

On behalf of the Kleban Foundation, New Dramatists is pleased to announce that the 18th Annual Kleban Award for the most promising musical theater lyricist has gone to DAVID LINDSAY-ABAIRE.

The American Theatre Wing and XM Satellite Radio proudly present an interview with the legendary producer/director Harold Prince, on their weekly theatrical interview show, 'Downstage Center,' on XM's On Broadway (XM Channel 28)