ABOUT Community & Learning

Community & Learning is Houston Grand Opera’s community and learning initiative that connects the company to our community through a variety of collaborations and programs. Our nationally recognized community programs include the Song of Houston initiative which commissions new chamber operas and song projects that resonate with contemporary life in Houston. Our multi-disciplinary Seeking the Human Spirit initiative highlights universal spiritual themes raised in opera while expanding and deepening connections to opera and art. We offer a rich variety of education programs including touring programs, student performances main-stage productions, the Bauer Family High School Voice Studio, professional development workshops for teachers and life-long learners, summer camp, and residency programs in community centers, rehabilitation programs, and schools.  

A few examples of Community & Learning commissions include:   

• • • • • The Big Swim, Meilina Tsui/Melissa Tien, developed in partnership with Asia Society Texas Center, to be premiered in 2024
        • Another City  (formerly A Space of Sky), Jeremy Howard Beck/Stephanie Fleischmann, 2023
        • Katie: The Strongest of the Strong, Faye Chiao/Anton Dudley, 2021
        • Marian’s Song, Damien Sneed/Deborah D.E.E.P. Mouton, 2020
        • NOW, Avner Dorman/John Grimmett, 2019
        • Monkey & Francine in the City of Tigers, Kamala Sankaram/David Johnston, developed in partnership with American Lyric Theatre, 2018
        • Some Light Emerges, Laura Kaminsky/Mark Campbell/Kimberly Reed, 2017  
        • After the Storm, David Hanlon/Stephanie Fleischmann, 2016
        • O Columbia, Gregory Spears/Royce Vavrek, 2015
        • Bound, Huang Ruo/Bao-Long Chu, 2014
        • Cruzar la Cara del la Luna, Jose Martinez/Leonard Foglia, 2010 
        • The Refuge, Christopher Theofanidis/Leah Lax, 2008