Reviews

2011-12 Season

The Barber of Seville

Learn how tenor Lawrence Brownlee happened upon a career in opera - KHOU.
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HGO Finds Fresh Fun in Barber - Houston Chronicle
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Opera Now names HGO's The Barber of Seville as one of the top 5 must see operas this season.
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Ana María Martínez and Nathan Gunn talk about singing the roles of Rosina and Figaro on KUHA's The Front Row.
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Nathan Gunn & all-star cast poised to make classic Barber of Seville look easy. - CultureMap.
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Brilliantly cartoonish Barber of Seville kicks off Houston Grand Opera's 57th season with a Cubist twist. - CultureMap.
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"As spunky heroine Rosina, Martinez thoroughly captivated as she breezed through Rossini's treacherous coloratura." - HoustonPress.
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Fidelio

Simon O'Neill talks with KUHA's The Front Row.
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Simon O'Neill Brings All His Energies to HGO's Fidelio. - Houston Press
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Fidelio from Houston Grand Opera: Thrilling Theater - Houston Press
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HGO's Fidelio soars with splendid singing, potent staging - Houston Chronicle
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Houston Grand Opera's thought-provoking Fidelio boosted by extraordinary singing of Karita Mattila and dream cast - CultureMap
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Houston Grand Opera tackles politics, love & devotion in Beethoven's operatic masterpiece, Fidelio - CultureMap
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Houston's Grand Opera and Symphony still among the best. - Dallas News
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La traviata

HGO, soprano do 'La Traviata' justice. - Houston Chronicle
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Extraordinary singing overcomes lackluster production in Houston Grand Opera's La Traviata - CultureMap
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2010-11 Season

Ariadne auf Naxos

"Strauss’s underperformed masterpiece will no doubt confuse, amuse, and wow audiences as the conclusion to an invigorating season at Houston Grand Opera." - CultureMap
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"Patrick Summers conducts with aplomb, delivering an orchestral performance of seamless integrity and elegant style." - Houston Chronicle
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In Ariadne auf Naxos, "one is treated to absolute vocal splendor." - ConcertNet.com
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The Marriage of Figaro

"Revivified through the brilliant conducting of James Gaffigan and the inspired performances of a well-nigh perfect cast." - Houston Chronicle
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"Adriana Kucerová [is] a miracle of sophistication and finesse." - CultureMap
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Lucia di Lammermoor

"HGO's Lucia shines as a dreamy vision with a diva who will haunt your sleep." - CultureMap
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‎"Shagimuratova's pivotal performance and Doyle's vision anchor a thoughtful, psychologically persuasive treatment that is neither a traditional "your grandmother's Lucia," nor a jarringly modern treatment, but a workable compromise somewhere between." - Houston Chronicle
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Dead Man Walking

"[Joyce DiDonato's] extraordinary mix of vibrancy, gravity and exacting nuance amounted to a portrayal that easily ranked with her finest work." - New York Times Arts Beat Blog
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"The real achievement of Dead Man Walking is that everyone witnessing it will feel they have walked that journey with Sister Helen, with De Rocher, with his mother and with the parents of his victims. Rarely has any opera produced such profound empathy for so many on all sides of a complicated and terrible dilemma." - Houston Chronicle
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"Mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato, an alum of HGO’s Studio, dazzles quietly as Sister Helen... And she is given the perfect foil in baritone Philip Cutlip, who plays De Rocher with every ounce of bravado he can muster until his final breakdown." - Houston Arts Week
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"Joyce DiDonato and Philip Cutlip are stunning as Sister Helen and De Rocher.  Both sing beautifully." - OperaPulse
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To Cross the Face of the Moon

"Oh, what a night at the Wortham! The energy was palpable and anticipation high as Houston Grand Opera offered its 41st world premiere, Cruzar la Cara de la Luna (To Cross the Face of the Moon)." - Culture Map
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Peter Grimes

"I can't remember an evening in a theater more gripping than Houston Grand Opera's Peter Grimes. Saturday night's performance, at the Wortham Center, had red-hot singing, characters vividly realized, and electrifying choral singing and orchestral playing. " - Scott Cantrell for The Dallas Morning News
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"I’ve seen hundreds of opera performances at many of world’s great opera houses, and HGO’s Peter Grimes is most definitely in the top 10 of my experience." - Culture Map
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Madame Butterfly

“Under Summers’s direction, the HGO Orchestra handled Puccini’s detailed and multi-hued score with admirable sensitivity and the HGO Chorus painted remarkable scenes." - Opera News
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"Breathtakingly beautiful to see and to hear, Houston Grand Opera's new production of Puccini's Madame Butterfly launches the company's 56th season on a note of subtle yet complete triumph." - Houston Chronicle

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"Singing the title role for the first time, Ana Maria Martinez displayed a sturdy lyric soprano full of warm colors and delicate shadings." - Associated Press
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"HGO's Madame Butterfly flies with Maltese marvel, haunting lighting & a forgotten servant" - Culture Map
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