opera is back

Houston Grand Opera returns to in-person performances with classics and cutting-edge works

Carolyn Sproule takes on the role of the famous bohemian in the most famous opera in the world.

Photo by Fay Fox

As Houston arts groups and organizations slowly return to pre-pandemic form, one of the city’s most beloved institutions has announced new productions, performances, and ticket sales.

Houston Grand Opera single tickets are now on sale for in-person performances running through 2022 at The Wortham Theater Center. The opera’s new season will showcase 36 performances across six productions and three community performances, per the opera.

Fans can also expect three student performances plus new digital offerings through HGO Digital, which will be announced later this summer. (The opera pivoted to an all-virtual season last year due to the coronavirus pandemic.)

Notably, half of HGO’s mainstage operas for 2021-22 will be conducted by women — more than any other season in company history — and two will be directed by women.

Here is a quick rundown of the 2021-2022 HGO season:

Carmen
October 22, 2021–November 7; October 26 and November 6 feature an alternative cast
Bizet’s Carmen from 1875 is considered the most popular opera in the world today. In the tragedy of obsessive love, mezzo-soprano and HGO Studio alumna Carolyn Sproule takes on the role of the famous bohemian. Striking costumes and dancing mark this landmark production, conducted by Lidiya Yankovskaya in her HGO debut.

The Snowy Day
December 9, 2021– December 19, 2021; December 15 and 16 feature an alternative cast
Marking the company’s 71st world premiere, the snoey show based on the beloved children’s picture book by Ezra Jack Keats follows Peter, a young boy out exploring the city alone for the first time. HGO Studio artist and soprano Raven McMillon takes on the role of Peter; Patrick Summers conducts.

Dialogues of the Carmelites
January 14, 2022– January 22, 2022
Kicking off the ballet’s winter repertoire, Poulenc’s Dialogues of the Carmelites, showcases some of the most sought-after artists in opera, HGO notes. Sopranos and HGO Studio alumnae Natalya Romaniw and Lauren Snouffer join the cast as Blanche and Sister Constance, respectively. Powerhouse soprano Christine Goerke, the season’s Lynn Wyatt Great Artist, returns as Madame Lidoine. Legendary director Francesca Zambello leads this opera set during the French Revolution.

The Magic Flute
February 4, 2022-February 13, 2022
Mozart’s classic is a now a silent‐film-inspired visual spectacle incorporating live performance with a magical animated world. Noble Prince Tamino and bird-catcher Papageno’s quest to rescue Pamina, the Queen of the Night’s daughter. The notable Dame Jane Glover conducts.

Turandot
April 22, 2022– May 6, 2022
World-renowned artist and Texan Robert Wilson kicks off HGO’s spring repertoire with what’s considered Puccini’s finest musical masterpiece. Celebrated soprano and HGO Studio alumna Tamara Wilson takes the titular role as the princess who avoids marriage — so much so that she offers would-be suitors two options: answer three vexing riddles correctly or die by beheading. HGO principal guest Eun Sun Kim conducts.

Romeo and Juliet
April 29, 2022–May 11, 2022
Described as French grand opera as its finest, Gounod’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s iconic tragedy boasts a large chorus, rich harmonies, intricate dance numbers, and sumptuous costumes. Soprano Adriana González in her HGO debut as Juliet.

Meanwhile, special performances include An Evening with Jonas Kaufmann; the celebrated international tenor’s show is dubbed a chance of a lifetime for opera lovers; single tickets are on sale.

Additionally, in a tip of the cowboy hat to rodeo season, Turn and Burn, A Rodeo Opera will be HGO’s 72nd world premiere. The production will be directed by Leslie Swackhamer and appropriately, offers a feminist perspective on contemporary rodeo cultur set in a colorful world of bucking broncs and carnival rides.

For tickets and more information, visit the opera’s official website.

opera openings

Get inspired

Noted Houston street artist paints vibrant new mural at downtown venue

Photo courtesy of Hobby Center for the Performing Arts

GONZO247 poses in front of his new mural, "Houston is Inspired" inside Hobby Center

Visitors to the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts can now see an incredible new mural by one of Houston's most iconic street artists.Mario Enrique Figueroa, Jr., known as Gonzo247, debuted his piece, "Houston is Inspired" on Friday, December 12.

“This piece is all about capturing the energy that makes Houston, Houston," said the artist in a statement. "It’s that raw, vibrant hustle — the music, the culture, the stories we’ve been telling for generations. I wanted to create something that pulls people in, gets them hyped for what they’re about to experience. Every color, every shape, every detail is telling a story, a vibe. This ain’t just a mural or a piece of art — it’s a journey. It's about the grind, the growth, and the inspiration we pass on to each other, on and off the stage.”

The piece is called "Houston is Inspired," after the program at Hobby meant to showcase local performers by offering them week-long residencies on a prestigious stage. This season includes CJ Emmons's one-man comedy musical show I'm Freaking Talented; a rhythmic interactive storytelling experience called Our Road Home by Jakari Sherman; and Lavanya Rajagopalan's combination of music, dance and verse, Kāvya: Poetry in Motion. Information about all three shows, including ticket prices and availability, can be found at TheHobbyCenter.org.

The last show (debuting May 1) was a particular inspiration to Gonzo247. Viewers may notice a pair of hands in a traditional Indian dance pose, a direct reference to Rajagopalan's show.

The Houston is Inspired program was launched launched in the 2023-2024 season. In addition to the residency in Zilkha Hall, artists are given a $20,000 stipend for production and marketing costs. It is now a permanent fixture of the Hobby season. Applicants for future seasons can submit here.

Known for his original "Houston is Inspired" mural in downtown's Market Square, Gonzo247 has been an active force in Houston art for 30 years, including producing the video series Aerosol Warfare about the street art scene in the 1990s and 2000s as well as founding the Graffiti and Street Art Museum. He also served as the artist liaison for Meow Wolf's Houston installation. If anyone's visual vision is perfect to welcome audience members to shows highlighting homegrown talent, it's him.

“Art’s all about telling stories, but it ain’t just what you see — it’s what you feel," he said. "This piece speaks to the heart of everything we’re about: culture, rhythm, struggle, and triumph. When you walk into the space, you gotta feel the anticipation, the energy building up. That’s what I wanted to capture — the vibe of the whole city, the passion in the work, and that next-level hunger to rise up and create something fresh. It’s like the beat drops, and everything just connects.”

visual-art downtown mural gonzo247