Best Friends on the Brown Stage

Mezzo-soprano Emily Treigle and bass-baritone Cory McGee—Tisbe and Alidoro in Cinderella this fall at HGO—were destined to become best friends. Before they were contemporaries at the Sarah and Ernest Butler Houston Grand Opera Studio, they not only attended the Rice University Shepherd School of Music together, but also spent a summer at Wolf Trap Opera, which is where they first truly connected. 

“We became inseparable during that time, and this continued in Houston!” says Treigle. “Later that year, we managed to break my ankle and get COVID on the same day… so we sort of trauma-bonded through that experience.”  

Treigle broke her ankle while giving McGee a piggyback ride. If you watched Concert of Arias on HGO Digital in 2021, you would have seen McGee, already a member of Butler Studio, following behind Treigle and holding her gown as she wheeled herself onto the stage to perform her arias. You also would have seen her win third place despite the circumstances. Soon, she was invited to become part of the HGO family.  

“I was with Cory when I found out I had been accepted into the Butler Studio,” says Treigle. “I will never forget that feeling—my wildest dream came true, and to make it even better: I got to go to work with my very best friend every day! Anyone who spends any amount of time near us knows, we have more fun together than should be legal.” 

“We clicked, and stayed that way ever since,” says McGee. “Through thick and thin, broken bone and hearts, we’ve been there for each other these past few years, and I’m eternally grateful for the friendship we have.”  

Both remember their time in the Butler Studio with something that approaches reverence. “The three years I had in the Studio really felt like I was constantly accelerating on a huge ramp,” says McGee. Treigle, too, remembers a time of rapid development as an artist. “I really started believing in myself and what it is I have to say,” she says.  

“Part of this is trial by fire—performing on stage with some of the greatest artists alive, under the baton of some of the most prolific conductors of all time. You sort of sink or swim in these situations, and I really feel like with the support of everyone at HGO, I learned to swim.” 

McGee graduated from the Butler Studio program in 2023. Since then, he’s embarked upon his professional career, performing with companies including Atlanta Opera, Opera Philadelphia, and HGO, where last season he had two roles, as Second Knight in Parsifal and Imperial Commissioner in Madame Butterfly.  

“It’s great to be able to take everything I learned at such an amazing place and go out in the world and share it,” he says. “There were so many times I caught myself smiling, laughing, or crying tears of joy in thinking about how grateful I am that my life has led me to this point.” 

Treigle graduated this May, a year after McGee. “I went straight from HGO to Wolf Trap, where I performed the role of Despina in Così fan tutte,” she says. “I had so much fun in that role, and we got some amazing reviews.” 

The two have continued to make their home in Houston, even living together for a time. “Emily and I actually roomed together last season,” shares McGee, “but we quickly found out that our cats didn’t get along. After many futile attempts, we decided it’d be best to get our own apartments again and just take turns staying at each other’s places until 3 a.m.”  

And now, the two opera singers who cannot get enough of each other have received the perfect opportunity: the chance to perform together again on the Brown stage in Cinderella, her as one of the “absolutely hilarious” stepsisters, she says, and him as the philosopher he describes as “magically rewarding people for their good deeds.” Both are putting their training with the Butler Studio to work as they prepare to make their role debuts in Rossini’s opera.  

“I can’t tell you how excited I am for this,” says Treigle. “Ever since signing the contract, this production has been at the forefront of my mind. I get to perform a full Rossini role for the first time, I am returning to my home company for the first time post-Butler Studio, and I get to sing on stage with my very best friend.”  

“I cannot wait to be on stage together again, especially in this capacity,” adds McGee. “It’s going to be fun to see who makes whom break character first 😈.”