Exit Interview: HGO’s First Novum Fellow

Earlier this year, Houston Grand Opera launched a new, highly individualized training initiative—the Novum Fellowship program—designed to identify and elevate exceptional operatic talent from Latin America.  

Made possible by a three-year partnership with Novum Energy, the Novum Foundation, and HGO Board member Alfredo Vilas, CEO of Novum Energy, the program will provide its fellows with a personalized training program—voice, language, acting, career guidance, and auditions—guided by the experts at HGO’s Butler Studio. 

The initiative gets underway this season, with the company welcoming five gifted young artists, starting with Esau Álvarez, a baritone from Durango, Mexico who just wrapped two weeks in Houston with us. In addition to his individualized training, Álvarez embedded with the company’s Butler Studio artists, joining in their group classes. He also observed Silent Night rehearsals, celebrated with staff at the company holiday party, and even gave a solo performance at this year’s Carols on the Green concert at Discovery Green.  

“Esau is a very talented baritone,” says Butler Studio Director Colin Michael Brush. “I first heard him as part of the jury of the Mexico District of the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition, where we awarded him second place, quite an accomplishment at 22 years old.”  

As his fellowship came to a close and he prepared to go home for the holidays, we sat down with the charismatic Álvarez and asked him about his experience.

This is the last day of your fellowship. How are you feeling?

Sad. Because here you are a family, a really nice team. I’m sad to leave!

Your fellowship included voice lessons with the legendary Dr. Stephen King. Can you tell us about that experience?

Stephen King is great. I love him, because he gave me some challenges—to think, I think the expression is, out of the box. To think and sing out of the box. So it’s not a common voice lesson. It’s something new. It was wonderful to work with him. He invites you to think like a singer.

And you also trained in acting with director Mo Zhou. 

She’s stunning! I love the energy of Mo, and her passion. She taught me how to focus on the right words, and the right intention of the character. And she helped me a lot with my audition pieces. I think it’s important for me to work on that because it’s not the same to perform in a scenario on the stage with your partners, and with colleagues. You are simply by yourself. And actually, she taught me how to work in America, so it was useful.

In what way?

Americans are more practical. It’s more structured here. In Mexico, it’s like, do whatever you want, do whatever you feel.

You were one of our solo artists at Carols on the Green.  

Christmas is my favorite season of the year, so I loved that. The energy, the people, Maestro Parodi, Nick Roehler at the piano—it was wonderful. He’s very intuitive. I mean, all the people here are brilliant. And to be here in Houston, and to feel I can give something back—it was lovely. They received me with open arms.

What was your experience training alongside the Butler Studio artists?

They are family, very kind, and they always give you their hands to help you. In this small opera world, everyone can see you as competition. So to have them give you advice, it’s just from the bottom of their hearts. They want to see you have success. And they understand the lonely career that we have. It was just, come on, you’re part of us now.

If you had to name your favorite part of your fellowship, what would it be?

The confidence that the coaches and maestros gave me for keeping this passion to sing, because it’s really hard to stay at this career. If it’s just one, I think it’s that. There’s also the musical tools. They made me see the music with other eyes. A different perspective—of the music, of the acting, of myself. I loved that.

If you were talking to another young artist, what would you tell them about this program?  

It’s the best program ever! (laughs) You need to apply.