Not a melting pot, but Frito Pie

Cultural beauty amid struggle: Houston World Refugee Day celebrates finding anew home

Out of 60,000 refugees who debark in the U.S., the majority fleeing from Myanmar(formerly Burma), Bhutan, Somalia, Iraq and Congo, 3,000 put down roots inHouston.
Photo by Philip Le
Powerful ladies of the KoumanKe'le' African Dance & Drum Ensemble.
Photo by Joel Luks
Children of the Karen Traditional Dance Group, whose long white robes adornedwith red threads, braids and lace handkerchiefs drew attention to the expressivehand movements typical of the dances of their ethnic heritage.
Photo by Philip Le
Cambodian refugee Yani Rose Keo with Houston World Refugee Day co-chair LizethZavala, program assistant of refugee services at Interfaith Ministries forGreater Houston.
Photo Courtesy Lizeth Zavala
Music, al fresco dance performances, art, exhibitions, lectures, childrenactivities, a fashion show . . .
Photo Courtesy Lizeth Zavala
. . .handcrafted pieces from 11 artisan groups and 25 informational boothsadded to the vivid grounds of the community center.
Photo Courtesy Lizeth Zavala
Children of the Bhutanese refugee community.
Photo Courtesy Lizeth Zavala
Sharing through music and song.
Photo by Philip Le
Four of 700 children and adults representing 10 countries and various ethnicgroups at this annual gathering.
Photo by Philip Le
A fashion show of traditional constumes and modern wearables.
Photo by Philip Le
The exhibition "The Path of a Refugee" brought to light all the elements of therefugee experience together. . .
Photo by Philip Le
. . . weaving photos, news articles, quotes and historical documents.
Photo Courtesy Lizeth Zavala
Guest speaker Dr. Thanh Chang shared his plight from Vietnam, the challenges ofbeing displaced from his birthplace and his educational path to becoming anemergency room physician.
Photo Courtesy Lizeth Zavala
Houston World Refugee Day culminated 2012 World Refugee Week, an awarenesscampaign that focused on the refugee experience.
Photo by Philip Le
Houston Grand Opera's New Arrivals, honoring the life and work of Yani Rose Keo.
Photo Courtesy Lizeth Zavala
Mayor Annise Parker at the Houston World Refugee Day Proclamation alongsideresettlement agencies' representatives.

He must have been 12 or 13 years old, a boy who appeared to be of South Asian heritage with dark spiked hair and bronze skin tone clothed in American shorts, a Burmese-type tunic and running shoes. While taking in the sights and sounds of Houston World Refugee Day at Baker-Ripley Neighborhood Center Saturday, I made eye contact with him. He grinned ear-to-ear and sprinted to join his friends and family, his tongue blue from eating a snow cone.

The boy was missing an eye. Physical scars in his calf hinted that, despite his obvious good spirits, there's more to his story.

He was one of 700 children and adults representing 10 countries and various ethnic groups at this annual gathering that stitched a colorful cultural fabric, one which bestows strength and meaning to the city of Houston. Out of 60,000 refugees who debark in the United States, the majority fleeing from Myanmar (formerly Burma), Bhutan, Somalia, Iraq and Congo, 3,000 put down roots here making Houston the largest host of émigrés in Texas.

Music, al fresco dance performances, art, exhibitions, lectures, children activities, a fashion show, handcrafted pieces from 11 artisan groups and 25 informational booths added to the vivid grounds of the community center.

You had no choice but to groove alongside the powerful ladies of the KoumanKe'le' African Dance & Drum Ensemble, whose djembe drummers punished those skins while the danseurs, wearing neon-colored bead skirts and tops, carried off choreography not suitable for the weak minded.

Two charming ladies from the Alianza de Organizaciones Guatemaltecas chatted up a storm about their Guatemalan village and explained the patterns in the bright coin purses, shawls and textiles that are traditional of the highlands. The Community Cloth displayed weaved pieces by the Karenni and hand-knitted fashion accessories and plush rugs by Bhutanese Nepali and Iraqui refugees.

KHOU 11 News' Lily Jang, who is a Vietnamese refugee herself, emceed the fair; her presence an example of the opportunities Houston affords its residents. In a lecture, guest speaker Dr. Thanh Chang shared his plight from Vietnam, the challenges of being displaced from his birthplace and his educational path to becoming an emergency room physician.

Cambodian refugee Yani Rose Keo's life and work as the leader of the resettlement services nonprofit Alliance for Multicultural Community Services was honored with the world premiere of Houston Grand Opera's New Arrivals, commissioned through the Song of Houston "East + West" project. Dressed in fine Cambodian attire, a lavender embroidered top with sheer sleeves, and sitting next to her husband Saoroth, she could not contain her tears as the company encapsulated the essence of her journey on stage, clasping her hands and bowing humbly to the audience to give and accept praise.

Insistent rhythmic drums, an instrument fashioned from an animal horn and chanting ushered in a dance by the Karen Traditional Dance Group performed by children, whose long white robes adorned with red threads, braids and lace handkerchiefs drew attention to the expressive hand movements typical of the dances of their ethnic heritage.

Not an assimilated fondue of a melting pot, but perhaps a Frito pie, where all the individual elements retain their essence yet work deliciously together.

Hosted by a conglomerate of resettlement agencies and nonprofits — Alliance for Multicultural Community Services, Bilingual Education Institute, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, Houston Community College, Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston and YMCA International Services in the mix — the Houston World Refugee Day celebration, which Mayor Annise Parker praised with a proclamation, culminated 2012 World Refugee Week, an awareness campaign that focused on the refugee experience.

Yet amid the zestful bounty of international folklore, calling this fair a celebration is a paradox. There's nothing celebratory about people driven away from their homeland due to political conflict, racism, persecution, war or violence.

What we can celebrate is Houston's welcoming attitude toward people of all races and backgrounds, where they can be a part of the city's multicultural mosaic. Not an assimilated fondue of a melting pot, but perhaps a Frito pie, where all the individual elements retain their essence yet work deliciously together.

Watch a short video featuring dances by the Karen Traditional Dance Group and the KoumanKe'le' African Dance & Drum Ensemble at Houston World Refugee Day 2012:

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Houston Grand Opera names Rice alum James Gaffigan its next music director

Photo by Claire McAdams

Houston Grand Opera names James Gaffigan as next Music Director

Opera lovers in the audience for the Houston Grand Opera’s magnificent season opening production of Porgy and Bess didn’t know it, but they were hearing HGO’s future. James Gaffigan, the acclaimed conductor of the performance will no longer be called an honored guest to the company and our city; instead, he’ll make the Wortham Center his new home.

HGO announced on Thursday, November 6, that Gaffigan will serve as the fifth music director in its 70-year history, leading the company alongside general director and CEO Khori Dastoor. He replaces Patrick Summers, who announced last year that he would step down as artistic and music director at the end of the 2025-26 season.

When Gaffigan begins his term as music director designate for the 2026-27 season and then assumes the full role of music director in the 2027-28 season, he won’t find Houston an unfamiliar landscape. Though originally from New York, Gaffigan once lived here while earning his master’s degree from the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University.

After his time at Rice, he quickly rose to international superstardom in both symphonic and operatic circles. He has conducted some of the greatest orchestras around the country, including the New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and many others. In Europe he has taken the podium at the London Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Deutsches Symphonie Orchester Berlin, and more.

In 2011, he made both his HGO and American operatic debut with the company’s production of The Marriage of Figaro. He has also become a very welcome guest conductor for national and international opera houses, including the Metropolitan Opera, Bayerische Staatsoper, Opéra National de Paris, Lyric Opera of Chicago, and more.

For the past several years, he has made a home in Europe serving as the general music director of Komische Oper Berlin, and he recently completed his fourth and final season as music director of the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía in Valencia, Spain.

Even with such a strong global presence, this Rice Owl continues to migrate back to Houston, guest conducting the Houston Symphony several times. Last year, he lead the first-ever performance by the HGO Orchestra at the annual Eleanor McCollum Competition for Young Singers Concert of Arias.

Gaffigan’s ties to Houston are so strong that back in 2011, CultureMap’s own society king and classical music expert, Joel Luks, pondered if Gaffigan might be an excellent candidate for Houston Symphony director upon Han Graf ’s retirement. Luks, who attended the Shepherd School at the same time as Gaffigan, lauded the maestro’s sense of musical timing, charisma, and spirit.

$\u200bHouston Grand Opera names James Gaffigan as next Music Director$

Photo by Claire McAdams

Houston Grand Opera has named James Gaffigan as its next Music Director.

“He seems to understand music-making in a macro level, presenting a cohesive interpretation, while allowing musicians freedom of expression,” described Luks, also noting Gaffigan’s ability to connect with musicians and audiences, alike.

It turns out Luks’s prediction for a musical directorship for Gaffigan was only off by 14 years and about a theater district block, the distance from Jones Hall to the Wortham Center.

“I always knew that the first post I would take in the United States as music director had to be the perfect fit,” Gaffigan said in a statement. “All the boxes needed to be ticked. As I considered which institution, which city, and which community aligned with my dreams and goals for an American institution, I found HGO to be my ideal partner. In my opinion, HGO is the most exciting opera company in the United States. It is rare to find such a healthy institution, with tremendous potential, and a solid foundation on which to build.”

Gaffigan went on to reminisce that he has admired HGO since his early twenties.

“When walking into the building, I get a sense of community and excitement for our art form and the importance it has in our lives. I feel the same from the people in the greater Houston area. Houstonians want great art. Under Khori Dastoor’s leadership, the company has flourished, and it has become clear to me that the sky is the limit. I can’t wait to return to this city and start our thrilling new chapter together.”

Dastoor sings similar praises for Gaffigan.

“To welcome James Gaffigan back to Houston, and to HGO, as our new music director represents the fulfillment of an ambitious dream,” stated Dastoor. “This fall, Houston audiences have had the incredible opportunity to witness his passion, electric energy, and mind-blowing artistry at the podium. I am overjoyed that today’s leading American conductor — who embodies a new generation of music-making at the highest level — has chosen to invest fully in this company. James was steeped in the art and culture of Houston on his way to finding phenomenal international success. His return is both a testament to our city and a reflection of HGO’s ascendance as a force in the global opera industry.”

For those wanting to get a taste of that passion and energy Gaffigan will bring to his role as Houston Grand Opera music director, he conducts Porgy and Bess November 7 and 9.

performing-arts houston grand opera james gaffigan