Houston Grand Opera News

A marvelously theatrical, dream-haunted evening tells of gay-rights activist Harvey Milk’s life and death.

The internationally lauded culinary artist and singer Alexander Smalls issues Let Us Break Bread Together on Smalls House Productions, his new collaborative imprint with Outside in Music.

Garnet Henderson, NYC-based choreographer, performer, and journalist, is producing and performing in an unconventional, immersive dance experience utilizing Inwood Hill Park as the performance space. The new work, SOLACE, celebrates the beauty and relief found in our city's green spaces, particularly in upper Manhattan. Henderson will be joined by four other professional dancers for performances at 2:00 P.M. on Saturday, June 18, and Sunday, June 26.

San Francisco Opera presents Eun Sun Kim Conducts Verdi, a one-night-only concert honoring the work of Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi on Thursday, June 30 at 7:30 pm at the War Memorial Opera House. Caroline H. Hume Music Director Eun Sun Kim, closes her first season as leader of the Company’s artistic forces, conducting the San Francisco Opera Orchestra, Chorus and soloists Nicole Car, Arturo Chacón-Cruz, Etienne Dupuis and Soloman Howard with current San Francisco Opera Adler Fellows soprano Mikayla Sager, tenor Edward Graves, bass Stefan Egerstrom. Chorus Director John Keene, who begins his tenure this summer, prepares the Chorus.

On June 21st, Grammy-nominated early music ensemble Ars Lyrica Houston, in collaboration with the Rothko Chapel, will present a reflective program of medieval music, entitled Contemplation in Light, in observance of the Summer Solstice. Two mainstage Ars Lyrica musicians, mezzo-soprano Cecilia Duarte and percussionist Jesús Pacheco, have carefully curated an hour-long immersive experience in the Rothko Chapel with solo voice and percussion instruments.

Multi-award winning director/actor/writer/choreographer Breton Tyner-Bryan will present the Los Angeles premiere of her short film 'Delusione' at the 25th Annual Dances With Films Festival, June 9-19, 2022.

Opera San José has announced the winners of its Irene Dalis Vocal Competition, named for the acclaimed mezzo-soprano Irene Dalis who founded Opera San José. The two-day event came to a dramatic conclusion on May 21, with tenor Kyle van Schoonhoven winning First Place.

After an extensive search, Houston Grand Opera has announced Jennifer Bowman as the company's new Director of Community and Learning (formerly HGOco).

Conceived and funded by acclaimed librettist and lyricist Mark Campbell, the Prize is the first award in the history of American opera created specifically to honor the work of opera librettists, and comes with a $7,000 award to support the winner's creative and career development.

OPERA America is pleased to announce the selection of Stephanie Fleischmann as the 2022 Campbell Opera Librettist Prize recipient. Conceived and funded by acclaimed librettist and lyricist Mark Campbell, the Prize is the first award in the history of American opera created specifically to honor the work of opera librettists, and comes with a $7,000 award to support the winner’s creative and career development.

The renowned Kronos Quartet today releases the world premiere recording of Mỹ Lai, the acclaimed opera composed by Jonathan Berger with libretto by Harriet Scott Chessman, on Smithsonian Folkways Recordings.

The Green Room 42 will present a special concert reading of the new musical, Fountain of You, on Monday May 23 at 9:30 PM. Fountain of You features book and lyrics by Tasha Gordon-Solmon and music by Faye Chiao, and stars Kate Rockwell (Mean Girls, Bring it On The Musical) and Maya Days (Rent, Aida).

Opera San José has lined up a remarkable panel of celebrity judges for its upcoming Irene Dalis Vocal Competition. Named for acclaimed mezzo-soprano Irene Dalis who founded Opera San José, the competition showcases eleven singers chosen from hundreds of international applicants, giving the nation’s next generation of opera stars a singular opportunity to perform for some of the most important leaders in their field.

The Twin Cities will welcome over 600 administrators, artists, trustees, educators, and other professionals from the national and international opera field for the industry's largest annual convening. Hosted by Minnesota Opera and presented by OPERA America, the North American service organization for opera, the 2022 Opera Conference will leverage the thought leadership, activism, and expertise of the Twin Cities to inspire the future of the art form nationwide.

Arizona Opera announced casting today for their vibrant 2022/23 Season, which will feature an exciting array of productions, ranging from beloved classics to new works, including a return to five in-theater shows in both Phoenix and Tucson.

Having been on pause since the pandemic, Liz Player (Founding Executive and Artistic Director, Harlem Chamber Players) is pleased to announce the rare NYC performance of the Harlem Renaissance composer Nathaniel Dett's (1882-1943) masterpiece oratorio The Ordering of Moses, which was cut short during a radio broadcast in 1937.

OPERA America has announced the second round recipients of the 2022 Opera Grants for Women Stage Directors and Conductors. The program incentivizes companies to hire women in these key artistic roles. These hires enrich the production and performance of new operas and works from the inherited repertoire; introduce audiences to the talent and insight of new artists; and inspire future generations of creative artists who identify as women.

The Grammy-nominated ensemble Ars Lyrica Houston has announced its 19th season, “Sounding Legacies.”

The Richard Tucker Music Foundation today announces the 2022 recipients of its prestigious Richard Tucker Award, Richard Tucker Career Grant, and Sara Tucker Study Grant.

On Friday, May 20, and Saturday, May 21, Houston Grand Opera (HGO) will present Gounod's sweeping adaptation of Shakespeare's timeless tragedy, Romeo and Juliet, at Miller Outdoor Theatre in a new production led by the talented artists of the HGO Studio.