opera goes digital

Houston Grand Opera showcases talent worldwide with HGO Digital

HGO Digital kicks off with the Studio Showcase.

One of the few positives from the global pandemic is the growing popularity of digital productions from local arts groups, replacing in-person performances nixed during the worldwide pandemic.

An enduring example here in Houston is HGO Digital, the virtual performance arm of Houston Grand Opera launched last year at the height of pandemic cancellations. HGO has announced the return of the program with HGO Digital, the Sarah and Ernest Butler Performance Series, launching December 3 and running into next spring.

The second season of HGO Digital will feature all free performances with two exceptions, Three Decembers and Suite Española II, which will require payment before viewing. Performances will be available for streaming for 30 days after their release. Screening details are available online.

A major highlight of the fall/winter season is the opening night livestream of the world premiere of the opera The Snowy Day, considered a “historic and momentous moment” for the company, per a press release. HGO will premiere the highly anticipated Snowy Day, an opera based on the children’s picture book by Ezra Jack Keats, on December 9, making it accessible to audiences around the world through HGO Digital.

Things kick off with the free screening of the HGO Studio Showcase, running December 3 through January 2, 2022. The show is a recording of the annual event which took place live, but with a limited audience, at the Wortham Theater Center.

Later comes Jake Heggie’s Three Decembers, kicking off December 10 and running through January 9, 2022. Originally commissioned by HGO and based on Terrence McNally’s original script Some Christmas Letters, this chamber opera from composer Jake Heggie and librettist Gene Scheer made its world premiere in Houston in 2008. Expect a touching, witty family drama that unfolds over three decades.

“HGO Digital is a tremendous example of this organization’s commitment to the art form,” said Khori Dastoor, HGO general director and CEO in a statement. “So many people came together to develop a completely new digital season, while following strict safety protocols. And all that hard work paid off – our audience expanded to an international stage, and we were able to make opera accessible to so many who may not have been interested before. We are excited to make digital art a standard part of our season.”

For a complete list of shows, screening dates, and more information, visit HGO Digital.

opera media

taking center stage

Stage adaptation of iconic Black movie Jason's Lyric to debut in Houston

Courtesy of Jason's Lyric

Most of the movie's cast will appear in the play.

Next year, Houston writer/producer/director/promoter Je’Caryous Johnson will be bringing another beloved Black movie to the live stage.

Jason’s Lyric will join New Jack City and Set It Off in the lineup of ‘90s Black-movie favorites that Johnson has adapted for the stage. The 1994 made-in-Houston drama stars Allen Payne and a pre-Will Smith Jada Pinkett as young lovers trying to maintain a relationship as conflicts and obstacles keep getting in the way.

Jason’s Lyric Live will go on a nationwide, 22-city tour, premiering right here in H-Town on Thursday, February 13 — just in time for Valentine’s Day.

“Houston is my home, and bringing Jason’s Lyric Live to life here first is my way of paying homage to the city and its people who inspired this story,” Johnson said in a statement. “This is more than a play; it’s a love letter to the community.”

Payne will reprise his role as Jason, with actress/model Eva Marcille stepping in Pinkett’s role as Lyric. Naughty by Nature rapper Treach, who played Lyric’s criminal big brother Alonzo in the movie, will also return to the role for the stage production. Tyrin Turner (Menace II Society), K. Michelle (Love & Hip Hop), and Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs (Welcome Back, Kotter) will round out the cast.

"Jason’s Lyric is one of the films that defined my career as an actor,” Payne said. “To bring it to life on stage for audiences who loved the movie — and a new generation experiencing it for the first time — is an incredible honor."

Marcille is also psyched for the show, taking on the role that Pinkett memorably brought to life. "Lyric is a character who embodies resilience and hope, and I’m honored to bring her story to life on stage,” Marcille said.

Tickets will go on sale this Friday, December 13, at 10 am. For a full list of dates and ticket information, visit the website.