08 Feb 2007
HGO announces season
Two Mozart operas — “Magic Flute” and “Abduction from the Serail” — head the list of works to be performed by the Houston Grand Opera in its 2007- 08 season that opens with Verdi’s “Masked Ball” on October 19.
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Commentary
The season was announced by HGO general director Anthony Freud on January 25.
A new work by Jake Heggie, “Last Acts,” will be given its world premiere on February 29, 2008. A chamber opera written for Frederica von Stade, the composer’s friend of many years, will be accompanied by Heggie and HGO music director Patrick Summers on two pianos.
Also new is “Song of Houston,” a unique celebration of Houston’s many ethnic components by Christopher Theofanidis. With a libretto by Leah Lax, this project of the newly created HGOCo is designed to connect the company with its community. It is slated for a single performance on November 10.
Neil Armfield’s production of “Billy Budd,” seen at the Welsh National Opera and Opera Australia, is the first in a series of operas by Benjamin Britten to be staged by the HGO that will continue through the 2012-13 season.
Puccini’s “La Bohème” and Donizetti’s “Daughter of the Regiment” complete the season of 46 performances.
Along with von Stade, Laura Claycomb, Ana Maria Martinez and Paul Groves return in 2007-08. Eva Podleś, Gwynne Howell and Phillip Ens are on the list of vocalists who make company debuts.
For complete information, visit www.houstongrandopera.org.
Wes Blomster