Houston Grand Opera News

Today, our Behind the Curtain interview is with the creator, choreographer and director of COMPANY XIV - Austin McCormick

Guided by the current global health pandemic recommendations, Houston Grand Opera (HGO) recognizes the importance of protecting its audiences, artists, musicians, and staff members.

Utah Opera Artistic Director Christopher McBeth today announced plans to stream Utah Opera's performance of Rachel Portman and Nicholas Wright's a?oeThe Little Prince.a?? The production, which was recorded in January 2019, is available for complimentary, on-demand streaming at utahopera.org starting Monday, June 22, 2020 at 7 PM MDT through Wednesday, August 5, 2020.

San Francisco Opera continues streaming performances as part of its Opera is ON initiative with Richard Strauss' Salome (June 20), Jules Massenet's Manon (June 27) and Carlisle Floyd's Susannah (July 4). The presentations, filmed live in high-definition at the War Memorial Opera House, will be viewable on demand for free at sfopera.com on the streaming date starting at 10 am PT and expiring at 11:59 pm the following day.

This week, Los Angeles Opera's website features a wonderful recital by the renowned bass who has portrayed so many great characters in that house, Morris Robinson.

Producer Mark Cortale announced today that award-winning theatre superstars Audra McDonald, Lea Salonga, and Melissa Errico will join the line-up of talent slated to participate in The Seth Concert Series, the weekly virtual series based on Seth Rudetsky's international Broadway series that began at The Art House in Provincetown.

In the past few days, multiple opera companies, orchestras, concert halls, and other members of the industry have voiced their support for the #BlackLivesMatter movement.

Get full details for summer online classes with BrightSide Theatre below!

The Civilians, the award-winning New York-based theater company, presents the ninth annual R&D Group FINDINGS Series. 

Parallel 45 Theatre and The MITTEN Lab are expand their partnership this summer by hosting P45's inaugural commissioned playwright and MITTEN Lab alumna, Jacqueline Goldfinger, in residency at the Lab from July 10 - 19, 2020 to develop a new play with director Katherine M. Carter.

Houston Grand Opera's HGOco announces a new online virtual camp, Discover Opera. Youth ages 13-18 are invited to embark on a journey to learn songs appropriate for auditions, develop fluency in the International Phonetic Alphabet, download the experiences from opera's biggest stars, practice stage combat and movement to fight off villains, and strengthen acting skills in an online expedition of vocal prowess.

New World Symphony Fellows Corbin Castro and Christopher Robinson today announced the launch of VIA, a virtual summer music academy supported by the New World Symphony (NWS) as part of its NWS BLUE program of Fellow-led initiatives. VIA, which stands for Virtual Inclusion Artists, seeks to engage young musicians from communities underrepresented in classical music through Zoom-based individual lessons and group classes offered over the course of a week-long, summer music intensive. VIA sessions are tailored to string, woodwind, and brass instrumentalists (grades 7a?"12), and are led by NWS Fellows, alumni, and guest speakers, including performance specialist Noa Kageyama (BulletProofMusician.com).

The Houston Grand Opera has named Miah Im as their new Studio Music Director, Opera Wire reports.

Houston Grand Opera has announced the appointment of HGO Studio Music Director Miah Im.

Houston Grand Opera's Ryan McKinny leads a new video of 'No One is Alone' from Into the Woods, in honor of those we have lost due to the health crisis.

This week, the Houston Symphony launches its new Living Room Seriesa?"hour-long livestream recitals by the world-class musicians of the Houston Symphony, Friday nights at 8 p.m.

Houston Chronicle's Preview has reported that The Houston Grand Opera has furloughed 25 of its near 120 employees due to the COVID-19 shutdown.

Carlisle Floyd's Prince of Players, the latest world-premiere recording by the Florentine Opera, will be released on the Reference Recordings label for worldwide distribution on April 24, 2020. This compelling, masterful new work of American opera will be released in a 2 CD set and all forms of digital download and streaming.

Renowned composer Kamala Sankaram (Washington National Opera, Houston Grand Opera) has embarked on an opera experiment during the current COVID-19 health crisis which has shut down the world's stages. Sankaram, along with librettist Rob Handel, have composed the world's first Zoom opera.

Opera companies across North America are offering a rich array of streaming content, allowing audiences to #meetopera online. Here is what's available: