Do-Re-Mi

Houston Grand Opera debuts themed experiences for 'The Sound of Music'

If one of your favorite things is The Sound of Music, you won't want to miss the lush new production presented by Houston Grand Opera that's running April 26-May 12.

Starring Grammy Award-winning mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard as Maria and acclaimed baritone Alexander Birch Elliott as Captain von Trapp, this production is the first time HGO has staged the perennially popular musical.

Featuring music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, with a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse, the show shares the story of the von Trapp family and the novice-turned-governess Maria, who brings joy and music into their lives.

It's a co-production from HGO and The Glimmerglass Festival in upstate New York, created by legendary director Francesca Zambello.

The company’s own chorus director, Richard Bado, is at the podium, and a group of talented Houston-area youths will take on singing roles as the von Trapp children. Last fall, HGO held the largest children’s auditions in company history, during which hundreds of young singers converged upon the Wortham Theater Center in hopes of joining the cast.

To make sure everyone feels welcome at this production, HGO is introducing themed experiences for three select performances:

Military Appreciation Day, May 5 matinee (2 pm)
Veterans and active-duty service members will be honored with a pre-show national anthem performance and color guard ceremony, a theater seat reserved for our fallen soldiers, and more activities presented in partnership with groups including Vet Tix.

Veterans and active-duty service members will receive 25 percent off tickets to the musical, as well as discounted food and drink items.

Pride Night, May 11 evening (7:30 pm)
Hosted in celebration of Houston’s LGBTQIA+ community, this themed night is presented in partnership with groups including the Greater Houston LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce, the Montrose Center, Pride 365 Houston, and Houston’s New Faces of Pride.

Audiences will enjoy a special performance from Pride Chorus Houston, themed cocktails and décor, the chance to see a historic Gilbert Baker Pride flag, and more. HGO will provide partner organizations with ticket offers to share with their members and the people they serve.

Mother's Day, May 12 matinee (2 pm)
Treat Mom to the best gift: time spent together. Audiences can commemorate the occasion with a themed photobooth, enjoy new Mother’s Day-themed brunch items and treats available for purchase, toast the mothers in attendance with a complimentary gift on egress, and more.

The performance runs two hours and 48 minutes, including one intermission. It is sung in English with projected English text.

Strong demand for tickets has led the company to add a ninth show date, so be sure to get your own tickets before the production sells out.

Tickets range from $25 to $210. For more information and to buy tickets, visit HGO.org or call the box office at 713-228-6737.

Photo by Michael Bishop

Grammy Award-winning mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard is Maria.

theater opera video promoted

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