Lauren Snouffer News

Following two successful seasons of Summers@Severance concerts (inaugurated in 2014), The Cleveland Orchestra has announced a third year of Summers@Severance concerts on Friday nights at Severance Hall.

Houston Grand Opera (HGO) opens its 2016 winter repertory on January 22with an inventive staging by multiple-award-winning theater director Michael Grandage of Mozart's genial farce, The Marriage of Figaro. Performances continue through February 7. Co-produced by HGO and the Glyndebourne Festival and premiered at Glyndebourne in 2012, this production, set in 1970s Spain with sets and costumes by award-winning designer Christopher Oram, was hailed for its beauty and for affirming “Mozart's comic masterpiece as both of its time and perennially modern” (Sunday Times). HGO is delighted to bring this elegant staging to Houston under the direction of Ian Rutherford, who worked with Grandage and toured the production following its Glyndebourne run.   

Houston, January 6, 2016— Houston Grand Opera (HGO) opens its 2016 winter repertory on January 22with an inventive staging by multiple-award-winning theater director Michael Grandage of Mozart's genial farce, The Marriage of Figaro. Performances continue through February 7. Co-produced by HGO and the Glyndebourne Festival and premiered at Glyndebourne in 2012, this production, set in 1970s Spain with sets and costumes by award-winning designer Christopher Oram, was hailed for its beauty and for affirming “Mozart's comic masterpiece as both of its time and perennially modern” (Sunday Times). HGO is delighted to bring this elegant staging to Houston under the direction of Ian Rutherford, who worked with Grandage and toured the production following its Glyndebourne run.   

Thrilling theater and unforgettable music -- that's what audiences can expect from Seattle Opera's 2016/17 Season. The company today announced the operas next up at Marion Oliver McCaw Hall. They include: The Wicked Adventures of Count Ory, Hansel & Gretel, La traviata, Katya Kabanova and The Magic Flute.

Houston, August 17, 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 Prince of Players by eminent American composer Carlisle Floyd, the Lynn Wyatt Great Artist for 2015–16; Dvoák'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; 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 The Root of the Wind is Water, a chamber opera by composer David Hanlon and librettist Stephanie Fleischmann about the impact of hurricanes on the Texas Gulf coast.

Maestra Marin Alsop conducts BSO accompanied by the Baltimore Choral Arts Society

Baltimore, Md. (March 23, 2015) - For the conclusion of the 2014-2015 season, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) and Music Director Marin Alsop lead the BSO premiere of Leonard Bernstein's comedic operetta Candide tonight, June 11 at the Music Center at Strathmore, and June 12 through June 14 at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. The BSO announced today that the semi-staged production of Candide will be directed by Garnett Bruce and features an all-star cast including Peter Sagal, the host of NPR's weekly current events quiz show "Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me," and Judy Kaye, Tony Award-winning star of The Phantom of the Opera. Rounding out the cast are Keith Jameson, Lauren Snouffer, Joshua Hopkins, Mark Diamond, Marie Lenormand, Stephanie Sadownik, Curtis Bannister, Patrick Cook, Andrew McLaughlin, Melissa Wimbish and Lewis Shaw.

Principle Pops Conductor Jack Everly and the Baltimore Choral Arts Society rekindle wonderful movie memories.

Baltimore, Md. (March 23, 2015) — For the conclusion of the 2014-2015 season, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) and Music Director Marin Alsop lead the BSO premiere of Leonard Bernstein's comedic operetta Candide on June 11 at the Music Center at Strathmore, and June 12 through June 14 at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. The BSO announced today that the semi-staged production of Candide will be directed by Garnett Bruce and features an all-star cast including Peter Sagal, the host of NPR's weekly current events quiz show “Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me,” and Judy Kaye, Tony Award-winning star of The Phantom of the Opera. Rounding out the cast are Keith Jameson, Lauren Snouffer, Joshua Hopkins, Mark Diamond, Marie Lenormand, Stephanie Sadownik, Curtis Bannister, Patrick Cook, Andrew McLaughlin, Melissa Wimbish and Lewis Shaw.

For the conclusion of the 2014-2015 season, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) and Music Director Marin Alsop lead the BSO premiere of Leonard Bernstein's comedic operetta Candide on June 11 at the Music Center at Strathmore, and June 12 through June 14 at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall.

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.

The Handel and Haydn Society (H+H) and Artistic Director Harry Christophers are pleased to announce its 2015-2016 Season-H+H's 201st-featuring the Period Instrument Orchestra and Chorus performing works from the Baroque and Classical eras.

HOUSTON (January 8, 2014) – On January 23 and 25, the Houston Symphony will present a semi-staged production of Mozart's Abduction from the Seraglio, under the baton of Music Director Andrés Orozco-Estrada. Directed by Lloyd Wood, whose opera credits include the revival production of Don Giovanniconducted by Orozco-Estrada at the Glyndebourne Festival Opera, the program will feature international soloists as well as a chorus drawn from the vocal program at The University of Houston's Moores School of Music, prepared by Dr. Betsy Cook Weber, Director of Choral Studies at the Moores School. The Symphony's first Opera in Concert under the leadership of Orozco-Estrada will be the first of many large-scale productions that will become a hallmark of Orozco-Estrada's tenure.

The Grammy-nominated early music ensemble Ars Lyrica Houston presents Bach & Sons: At the Cafe tonight, November 14, 2014 at Zilkha Hall, Hobby Center for the Performing Arts. The first of a two-part tribute to the great Bach dynasty on Ars Lyrica's 2014/15 season, this program includes a rarely performed ode and a concerto by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, younger brother Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach's cantata Die Amerikanerin, plus patriarch Johann Sebastian Bach's beloved 'Coffee Cantata.'

The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) regrets to announce that due to a scheduling conflict, Patti LuPone has withdrawn from the BSO's upcoming production of Leonard Bernstein's Candide, slated for June 11, 2015 at The Music Center at Strathmore and June 12-14, 2015 at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall.

The Grammy-nominated early music ensemble Ars Lyrica Houston presents Bach & Sons: At the Cafe on Friday, November 14, 2014 at Zilkha Hall, Hobby Center for the Performing Arts. The first of a two-part tribute to the great Bach dynasty on Ars Lyrica's 2014/15 season, this program includes a rarely performed ode and a concerto by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, younger brother Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach's cantata Die Amerikanerin, plus patriarch Johann Sebastian Bach's beloved "Coffee Cantata."

The Florida Orchestra (TFO) has announced the appointment of Michael Francis as its new Music Director starting with the 2015/2016 season, serving as Music Director Designate for the upcoming 2014/2015 season. Appointed as part of an initial three-year contract, his duties include being the primary conductor and providing the artistic leadership for concert programming and related artistic decisions. Although his primary role is with the Tampa Bay Times Masterworks series, he will also be conducting one concert each season for the Raymond James Pops and the morning Coffee Concert series. This reflects Francis' personal desire to be fully-integrated artistically with the orchestra and the organization.

Ars Lyrica Houston, the Grammy nominated early music ensemble, announces its 2014/15 season, titled The Power of Music, which explores the variety of expression and shows how great music moves us in ways both subtle and profound.

Emotional arias and powerful choruses have the audience rejoicing in the victory of 'Judas Maccabaeus,' as Pacific Symphony opens the holiday season with the rare opportunity to hear Handel's jubilant oratorio. With all of the drama and flair of his operas, the Baroque composer masterfully tells of the Israelites' rich journey from hardship to triumph. One of peace, harmony and faith, the story of Judas Maccabees forms the basis for the Jewish Festival of Lights, Hanukkah, and is often defined as history's first war for religious freedom.

Emotional arias and powerful choruses have the audience rejoicing in the victory of 'Judas Maccabaeus,' as Pacific Symphony opens the holiday season with the rare opportunity to hear Handel's jubilant oratorio. With all of the drama and flair of his operas, the Baroque composer masterfully tells of the Israelites' rich journey from hardship to triumph. One of peace, harmony and faith, the story of Judas Maccabees forms the basis for the Jewish Festival of Lights, Hanukkah, and is often defined as history's first war for religious freedom.