Don't Miss List
HGO's Patrick Summers' five arts picks for fall — and beyond
"Burning Man," 1966, part of The Menil Collection's upcoming exhibit, "VijaCelmins: Television and Disaster, 1964-1968"The Menil Collection
Patrick Summers, music director for the Houston Grand OperaPhoto by Christian Steiner
A scene from Benjamin Britten's "Peter Grimes"
Mercury Baroque
Editors Note: We've asked Houston arts leaders and CultureMap contributors to pick the jewels from Houston's upcoming arts season — the events that they don't plan to miss. Here's what's on Houston Grand Opera music director Patrick Summers' list.
1. Naturally, my top choice is Houston Grand Opera, where we're embarking on a season about which I have more excitement than at any previous time in my tenure.
I won't list highlights, as I'm truly jazzed by it all, but if you're going to make the woeful choice not to come to all of our six operas, I would advise not missing Madame Butterfly with Ana Maria Martinez’s title role debut (Oct. 22- Nov. 5), Benjamin Britten's Peter Grimes (Oct. 29-Nov 12) or Jake Heggie's Dead Man Walking (Jan. 22-Feb. 6, 2011).
2. Author evenings at the Brazos Bookstore, which I think is one of the real cultural jewels of Houston. For example, novelist Amy Tan will read on Sept. 20 (at the Wortham Center as part of the Inprint series), but they have a full and compelling list of activities.
And besides the thought provoking and stimulating events they produce, remember how important it is to support independently owned bookstores.
3. Vija Celmins upcoming exhibition, "Television and Disaster," at the Menil Collection (opening Nov. 19). I am so inspired by her disturbingly prescient and meticulously rendered visions of the role we have all allowed the visual media to play in our lives.
4. The very enterprising Mercury Baroque's presentation of a lost and truly wonderful opera, Vivaldi's "Montezuma," (Nov. 20). This is a fantastic and energetic group of musicians, and this is a work not to be missed.
5. American pianist Jeremy Denk's solo recital at the Menil on March 29, 2011 (presented by Da Camera). He is the greatest and most probing musician of his generation.
For me, this is the classical music event (excluding opera) of the year in Houston.
