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Updated 6-22-09 10:25 AM
HGO is the Star of the Show The Downtown District, The City of Houston Convention & Entertainment Facilities Department and KTRK are partnering on new 30-minute quarterly television specials designed to introduce viewers to downtown Houston by spotlighting the people, places and stories that make it unique. The premiere episode featured Anthony Freud, Patrick Summers and a look behind the scenes at Houston Grand Opera. If you missed it, segments are available at houstondowntown.com and abc13.com.
Rigoletto at Miller Outdoor Theatre Houston Grand Opera reprises performances of its much acclaimed production of Verdi’s Rigoletto – with free public performances on May 15-16, 2009 at the Miller Outdoor Theatre. Click here for more information.
Pink at the Brown Join HGO Studio Artists Jamie Barton, Caitlin Lynch, Faith Sherman and other Theater District performing arts companies for Pink at the Brown, an evening benefiting Pink Ribbons Project, on March 26 at 8 p.m. in the Brown Theater, Wortham Theater Center. Click here for more information.
Opera to Go! "Kids across Midland — and the world — likely have memorized the tale of “The Little Mermaid” on DVD, but on Tuesday, Midland Independent School District students got to experience it in a different form — opera." - My West Texas News Click here to read the entire article
Chorus! Backstage is a thrilling place to be. Not only will you run into various celebrities, but you'll be manhandled by choristers running to change into lip-printed dresses, red wigs, sexy tights, and hott shoes. I pretend I'm a light stand in those moments... Click here to read the entire blog posting
Houston Grand Opera's Chorus! on a grand scale "When Houston Grand Opera unveils Chorus!tonight at Wortham Theater Center, the audience will witness an operatic premiere unlike anything previously attempted." - Houston Chronicle Click here to read the entire article.
HGO's Girls Chorus featured in Houston Family Magazine "When Houston Grand Opera Children’s Chorus Director Karen Reeves mentioned to Sandra Bernhard that she wanted to start a girls chorus, no one really knew where the idea would go." - Houston Family Magazine Click here to read the entire article.
Brief Encounter: the opera "In creating an opera out of Brief Encounter – not at all like composing a film score, says Previn, and he's written many – he found scarcely anything to add to Lean's beautifully crafted film." - The Independent Click here to read the entire article
Houston Grand Opera and The Refuge featured in Symphony Magazine "Houston Grand Opera's ground-breaking production of The Refuge offers a model of how an arts organization can achieve civic stature: by engaging the hearts and minds of diverse communities." - Symphony Magazine Click here to read the entire article
Warm up for the opera season with HGO! Join us for Opera Night Live, Taste This, or any of these great pre-season events - whether you prefer a casual talk or an intimate evening of art song, a night out for a great cause or a chance to unwind with great music, there's something here for you!
9/26/08, 9/27/08 - 7:30PM Houston Grand Opera Studio Recitals at Rienzi “Poet’s Love"—Shakespeare and Schumann. An intimate evening of art and song featuring the artists of the Houston Grand Opera Studio at Rienzi, the European Decorative Arts wing of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, located at 1406 Kirby Drive. For more information and tickets, contact Rienzi at 713-639-7800.
9/27/08 - 8PM Sing for Hope Twelve of the country's most prominent young opera stars including HGO Studio artists Jamie Barton and Faith Sherman take the stage at SING FOR HOPE: An Evening of Art Songs and Arias, Bering Omega's signature annual benefit concert. Saturday, September 27, 2008, 8:00pm - Cullen Theater, Wortham Theater Center. For tickets or more information, please contact Brenda Bailey at 713-341-3762 or visit www.beringomega.org.
9/29/08 - 10/3/08 - 11AM HGOco and Opera to Go! present Strega Nona at Miller Outdoor Theater, 11 a.m. daily. Free admission. For more information, call 713-546-0232.
10/3/08 - 8PM HGO’s O.N. for Young Professionals Kick-off “Carnival” Saez & Zouk, 202 Tuam St. Opening Nights for Young Professionals is a group of professionals in their 20s and 30s, who are dedicated to building a new audience for Houston Grand Opera and sustaining that audience by attending Opening Night opera performances and special events. For more information/tickets, order online at www.HoustonGrandOpera.org/ON or contact Jenaiah Michael at 713-980-8674.
10/6/08 - 6PM Taste This! HGO at the Tasting Room A cabaret-style performance featuring the artists of the Houston Grand Opera Studio at The Tasting Room’s Uptown Park location. $20 cover includes hors d’oeuvres. Doors open at 6 PM and seating is limited, so reserve your seat early by calling The Tasting Room Events Line at 713-622-4477.
10/7/08 - 7:30PM Houston Grand Opera Guild Opera Night Live Czech Center Museum Houston, 4920 San Jacinto St. Enjoy a conversation with Robin Tebbutt, director of Beatrice & Benedict, plus a special “Bea and Ben” musical preview featuring HGO Studio Artists. This event is free, but space is limited, so please reserve your seat by calling Houston Grand Opera Guild at 713-546-0269.
10/8/08 - 5PM Culture Collision III HGO’s O.N. for Young Professionals joins other YP groups at Culture Collision III, Discovery Green Park. For more information, contact Jenaiah Michael at 713-980-8674 or jmichael@houstongrandopera.org.
10/15/08 - 6PM Coffee Talk Houston Grand Opera and the University of St. Thomas present the first in a series of conversations on the connections between life and art. HGOco Director Sandra Bernhard joins with UST faculty to discuss “How Shakespeare Sees the World.” Free and open to the public, University of St. Thomas Jones Hall; for more information call 713-228-OPERA
Recitals at Rienzi—September 26 & 27, 7:30PM Back by popular demand—intimate evenings of art and song featuring the artists of the Houston Grand Opera Studio. Rienzi is the European Decorative Arts wing of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Click here for more information
HGO in Paper City's Theater District Open House Special Section The August issue of Paper City included a special section for the Theater District Open House, including interviews with a recent graduate of HGO Studio, Liam Bonner, and the head of HGO's wig and makeup department, Dottie Staker. Click here to read Liam's interview Click here to read Dotti's interview
Karen Reeves on The Front Row HGO's education manager, Karen Reeves, joins author Sarah Gish on KUHF's The Front Row about Gish's Summer Book 2008. It’s a guide to summer day camps and classes that children in the Houston area can attend. Click here to listen
Opera Camp on ABC 13 News HGO's Opera Camp was spotlighted on Tuesday's ABC 13 News broadcast. This opera camp is designed to help young singers develop a better understanding of healthy singing, improve their music reading/theory skills, work on song presentation for solo performance, and learn and present choral selections for informal presentation. Click here to watch the segment
Studio Artist Receives Grand Review St. Louis Post-Dispatch critic praises HGO Studio Artist Jamie Barton in Opera Theatre of St Louis production of Madama Butterfly "Mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton was a sensitive, supportive Suzuki who made every glance and gesture meaningful. Her voice is a gorgeous, mellow instrument... " Click here to read the full review
Albina Shagimuratova on The Front Row Soprano Albina Shagimuratova and pianist Kathleen Kelly from the Houston Grand Opera Studio stop by KUHF's Performance Studio for a preview of her May 19th recital called Bel Canto: From Mozart to Rachmaninov. Listen
Ms Shagimuratova, a second-year Studio Artist at HGO, appeared this season as Queen of the Night in Mozart's "The Magic Flute" and as Musetta in Puccini's "La Boheme". She makes her Salzburg Festival debut this summer and returns to HGO next spring as Gilda in verdi's Rigoletto. Ms. Shagimuratova won the the gold medal at the prestigious Tchaikovsky International Competition in 2007. For this recital, she will be accompanied by HGO Studio Music Director, Kathleen Kelly, in music by Mozart, Richard Strauss, Bellini, Rachmaninov and Rossini.
Although HGO's mainstage season is drawing to a close, you still have several opportunities to enjoy the work of HGO Studio Artists in May--and beyond! At ASPEN OPERA THEATER, current Studio singer Jamie Barton will appear as the Witch in Hansel and Gretel (July 24, 27, 28) which will be conducted by HGO Chorus Master Richard Bado. BERKSHIRE OPERA's production of Le Nozze di Figaro (August 15, 18m, 20, 22, 24m) includes recent graduates of the Studio program Liam Bonner as Count Almaviva, Tamara Wilson as Countess Almaviva, and Ryan McKinny as Figaro. Berkshire Opera's season opening concert, Women on the Verge, includes HGO Studio alumni Marie Lenormand and Scott Scully. Joseph Li, currently in HGO Studio, will be the principal coach for both Women on the Verge and Figaro. Kathy Kelly, HGO Studio Music Director, is Berkshire Opera's artistic director and conductor for both productions. At CHAUTAUQUA OPERA, Faith Sherman will be Dorabella in Cosi fan tutte (July 3 and 7). Incoming Studio artist Caitlin Lynch will perform music from Mendelssohn's A Midsummer Night's Dream (August 3m and 17m) at GLIMMERGLASS OPERA. At the MOSTLY MOZART FESTIVAL in New York City, Fiona Murphy will perform Annio in La Clemenza di Tito with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment (August 3). Jamie Barton will perform the role of Suzuki in Madama Butterfly at OPERA THEATER OF ST. LOUIS (May 29, 31, June 4, 7, 11m, 13, 18m, 22, 24, 28m). Albina Shagimuratova will reprise the role of Queen of the Night in Die Zauberflöte at THE SALZBURG FESTIVAL in Austria (August 13, 20, 22, 26, 28, 30). Incoming HGO Studio Artist Adam Cioffari will participate in the SAN FRANCISCO OPERA MEROLA PROGRAM and perform in its Grand Final concert on August 16. At SANTA FE OPERA this summer, Norman Reinhart will be Fenton in Falstaff (June 27; July 2, 5, 11, 29; August 4, 11, 16, 19, 23), Heidi Stober will be Tigrane in Radamisto (July 19, 23; August 1, 7, 15, 20), and HGO Studio coach Peter Pasztor will be the principal coach for Billy Budd and Le Nozze di Figaro. WOLF TRAP OPERA's production of Verdi's King for a Day (Un Giorno di regno) includes Liam Bonner as Belfiore, Tamara Wilson as Marchesa, Beau Gibson as Edoardo, Ryan McKinny as Barone Kelbar, and Marjorie Owens as Giulietta (June 13, 15m, 17). Rebekah Camm and Maria Markina will perform in Wolf Trap's Alcina (July 11, 13m, 15) as Alcina and Bradamante respectively, with Jeremy Frank serving as the principal coach for the production. Eric Melear makes his Wolf Trap conducting debut in Alcina and he is also chorus master for King for a Day. Also at Wolf Trap Opera, Ariadne auf Naxos includes Marjorie Owens as Ariadne and Beau Gibson as Brighella (August 15, 17m, 19), and a concert performance of Candide includes Beau Gibson as Vanderdendur and James Kee as Maximilian. Evan Rogister is the assistant conductor for Candide and Grant Loehnig the principal coach.
From the Top This weekend's broadcast of the NPR show, "From the Top" features HGO Studio artist Rebekah Camm and the Magic Flute Genies Joan Scheirman, Elizabeth Kaufman and Emily Townsend, as well as our Children's Chorus, High School Voice Studio soprano Caitlan Pitts and the members of the HSVS. Locally, you can listen to the program on May 4 at 6 PM on KUHF-88.7 FM on Sunday. Click here to listen to the show (now) online!
Opera America and the National Arts conference KUHF's Capella Tucker posted this thoughtful feature on Opera America and the National Arts conference. It includes commentary from HGO General Director Anthony Freud as well as Opera America President/CEO Marc Scorca. Click here to view entire article
Houston Chronicle - Apr 28 "This Budd's for You!" - Charles Ward's Houston Chronicle Review of HGO's Billy Budd Click here to view entire article
Playbill Arts photo journal of HGO's Billy Budd Click to view entire article
Houston Chronicle - Apr 18, 2008 Houston Grand Opera on Friday begins a multiyear exploration of Britten's oeuvre with an acclaimed production of Billy Budd, directed by Australian Neil Armfield Click here to view entire article
Houston Chronicle - Apr 10, 2008 Joshua Hopkins, a Canadian baritone, is returning to Houston Grand Opera at 29 to sing his first major role here since leaving the HGO Studio in 2005. Click here to view entire article
The Refuge Recording HGO's newest recording - The Refuge - is ready for release on Albany Records in May, 2008! It will soon be available at the HGO Boutique, as well as at your favorite music retailer. Refuge composer Christopher Theofanidis was honored last night at his alma mater, University of Houston. He is one of youngest Alumni ever to have been so honored. Congrats to him! http://www.mycougarconnection.com/awardsdinner/recipients_08.htm
Recipe for Success Dr. Mehmet Oz, with whom many of you are familiar through his appearances on Oprah and Good Morning America, was so impressed with the work of Recipe for Success Foundation, that he singled Gracie Cavnar out for a special award and recognition at his annual HealthCorps benefit in New York. HealthCorps is a foundation that Dr. Oz and his wife Lisa created to educate youth about the workings of their bodies and empower them to make good decisions.HealthCorps works with high school age students in New York, Florida and California and now Recipe for Success Foundation is helping to bring them into Houston schools, which will complement our own work with elementary school children.
Opera Ball Houston Chronicle writer Shelby Hodge's video about HGO's Opera Ball is online for all to enjoy. http://www.brightcove.tv/title.jsp?title=1494861272
