Houston Grand Opera

Congratulations to Artistic & Music Director Patrick Summers for launching his new book, a thought-provoking novel exploring an alternative history of Mozart’s life! 📖🎶 A note from the author himself: “When the pandemic began, and we were all dealing with so many terrible ‘what-if?’ situations, one of my coping mechanisms was this novel — a fantasy ‘what if’ — which is: what if Mozart had been blessed with a longer life? What would have happened? It was such a joy to imagine!” Learn more about the novel below, and order it today on Kindle or paperback — available in January 2025! 👇

For the first time ever, the HGO Orchestra will take the stage for our newly reimagined Concert of Arias, under the baton of James Gaffigan! 🪄🎶 “The Concert of Arias is a rare opportunity to learn repertoire at the very last minute, as the competition progresses. The orchestra and I will learn which arias/excerpts will be performed only days before the concert. It's an exciting event spearheaded by a truly forward thinking company” says Gaffigan. “Many talented young singers get to work with pianists in recital and audition situations, but rarely a professional orchestra. It will be an exciting experience for the competitors, orchestra musicians, judges and public alike.” Praised by The Wall Street Journal for his "impassioned leadership," Maestro Gaffigan will guide our musicians and competition finalists in this landmark event of the season – one you won’t want to miss! 🤩 📰 Read all about it in BroadwayWorld.com's recent article, and be sure to join us on Jan. 17 for our 37th annual Eleanor McCollum Competition for Young Singers!

We are so proud to announce a new partnership with the Fundació del Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona, created to foster cultural exchange and collaboration between the two internationally recognized opera houses. 🎭 The partnership will officially launch on January 26, 2025 at Liceu’s 62nd Tenor Viñas International Singing Competition, one of Europe’s most prestigious contests for new voices in opera, with the first Torras Family Foundation Prize, made possible thanks to the generosity of the Torras Foundation and Ignacio and Isabel Torras. The winner will be awarded a cash prize, and receive automatic entry to HGO’s Eleanor McCollum Competition for Young Singers Concert of Arias in Houston, starting in 2026. Read more about this exciting new collaboration in our press release below! ⤵️

Happy holidays, friends! We invite you give the gift of opera with our special, limited-time Cyber Monday offer Buy One ticket, Bring A Friend for FREE to select performances of our upcoming, high-demand winter productions! 🌃 West Side Story | Wednesday, Feb. 5 🕯️ La bohème | Wednesday, Feb. 12 Use the code CYBERMONDAY prior to seat selection to redeem your offer at HGO.org. Hurry – this deal is only valid for 48 hours, NOW through Dec. 3! 💻🚨 *Excludes Founders and Loge Box seating.

During a week to be extra thankful, we want to express our gratitude to all of the community partners, supporters, and families of Houston that help us share the magic of opera through tireless effort and dedication! 🎭❤️🎶 Be sure to join us at our various community events we have planned for you this season – including our favorite holiday celebration, Carols on the Green, at Discovery Green Conservancy next month!

🎶 "The natural flow of this highly romantic and complex music is obtained effortlessly, and the musicians respond enthusiastically. Simply put, this recording is well on track to a Grammy nomination" – EarRelevant 💔 The heartache of Massenet’s Werther never sounded so captivating. With Robert Spano leading the Houston Grand Opera Orchestra and a cast featuring Matthew Polenzani and Isabel Leonard, this performance is a triumph of art and emotion.

Houston Grand Opera and Ars Lyrica Houston are excited to present Maria’s Magical Music Adventure at Levy Park on this Saturday, November 16 at 11 a.m. This free Storybook Opera event brings Houstonian Emma Kent Wine’s children’s book to life, following Maria and a magical musician on a time-travel journey. Learn more about this new family adventure and get to know the story’s author and composer, Houstonian Emma Kent Wine, on HGO’s Backstage Pass! 🎭

We were so thrilled to see Houston Methodist's Center for Performing Arts Medicine (CPAM) be named an official partner for this year’s National Organization for Arts in Health Conference (NOAHCON24)! Houston Methodist’s CPAM is constantly redefining healthcare by integrating the arts into the hospital environment. From keeping Houston's artists healthy to providing innovative therapy programs, CPAM is a true leader in arts and medicine. 🎶🏥🎶

Music, 🎶 molecular genetics, 🔬 and law? ⚖ Although these fields don’t seem to mix, Mark Lear has studied all three! Read more about how our artistic administrator found his way to our organization – and how he became an invaluable member of the HGO family for over 25 years (and counting)! ⤵

"Houston Grand Opera showed Friday, opening its season at Wortham Theater Center, that it’s still possible to marshal singers who can deliver the power, passion and poetry of Verdi’s love-triangle tunefest." ❤️🔥🎶 Critics are raving about our season-opening production! Read the full article by Texas Classical Review. ⤵️