Houston Grand Opera Announces its 2010-11 Season

Houston Grand Opera General Director and CEO AnthonyFreud announced today the company's 2010-2011 season, which runs from October 22, 2010 toMay 10, 2011 with thirty performances of six operas. "This year we have chosen a selection ofoperas that will thrill, stimulate and entertain," says Freud. "From the world's most celebrated worksto more rarely performed operatic gems, our repertoire features the storytelling magic ofinternationally acclaimed singers alongside the most exciting young stars of the future working withsome of the worlds most exciting conductors and directors.

"HGO Music Director Patrick Summers takes the podium to conduct four of this season'ssix operas-Puccini's Madame Butterfly, Britten's Peter Grimes, Dead Man Walking by JakeHeggie, and Ariadne auf Naxos by Richard Strauss. "I am thrilled to have the talents of PatrickSummers, our music director with us throughout the season," explains Freud. "The impact of hispresence will benefit the whole season, not only those operas that he is conducting." Italianconductor Antonino Fogliani, one of the most exciting young Italian conductors of his generation, HGO reserves the right to change repertoire, cast, production, performance dates or times when circumstances require such changes, withoutnotice. makes his United States debut conducting a new production of Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor,an opera he has led with great success at Bergamo's Teatro Donizetti, the Theater St. Gallen inSwitzerland and at Opéra Royal de Wallonie in Belgium. Outstanding young American conductorJames Gaffigan, who until recently held the position of Associate Conductor of the San FranciscoSymphony, will also make his HGO conducting debut with Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro.Gaffigan has conducted acclaimed productions at Zurich Opera, the Aspen Music Festival and,most recently, Verdi's Falstaff for Glyndebourne on Tour.The season opens with a new production of Puccini's Madame Butterfly, featuring internationally renowned soprano and HGO Studio alumna Ana María Martínez in a major roledebut as the Geisha Cio-Cio-San. According to Opera magazine, "[Martínez] requires ranking among the top lyric sopranos of the day... [with] immaculate musicality underpinning everyutterance."

Maltese tenor Joseph Calleja, who recently sang the title role of The Tales ofHoffmann at The Metropolitan Opera to great acclaim, makes his HGO debut as Lieutenant B.F.Pinkerton. "Season after season, I am most excited about major artists choosing Houston GrandOpera to make major role debuts," explains Freud. "Ana María Martínez returning to HGO tomake her major role debut as Butterfly will be an exciting and moving evening of theater."Created for Houston Grand Opera by the internationally-acclaimed creative team of directorMichael Grandage (Hamlet - Broadway 2009; Frost/Nixon - Broadway 2007), designerChristopher Oram and lighting designer Neil Austin, this visually stunning new productiondraws its inspiration from traditional 19 th Century Japanese art.

The Fall repertory continues with Benjamin Britten's Peter Grimes, with celebrated tenorAnthony Dean Griffey in the title role. He was last seen at HGO as Lenny in Carlisle Floyd's OfMice and Men. Griffey has garnered critical acclaim as Britten's troubled fisherman at ParisOpera, Santa Fe Opera, and The Metropolitan Opera. "Singing with exemplary artistry and rawemotion," wrote The New York Times, "Mr. Griffey found his own way into the daunting role ofGrimes... (a) triumph for a selfless artist who rose through the ranks of the Met." Soprano KatieVan Kooten (Helena in HGO's production of Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream, 2009) singsthe role of school teacher Ellen Orford, Grimes's only ally. British baritone Christopher Purves,fresh from his success as Falstaff at the Glyndebourne Opera Festival in 2009, makes his U.S.operatic debut as Captain Balstrode. Contraltos Meredith Arwady, who created the role of MyrtleBagot in Brief Encounter by André Previn (2009), sings the role of Auntie-owner of the villagetavern- and Catherine Wyn-Rogers will make her HGO debut as Mrs. Sedley. Patrick Carfizzi, who last appeared here as Papagano in Mozart's The Magic Flute in 2008, is the lawyerSwallow.

Directed by Tony Award nominee Neil Armfield (Exit the King - Broadway 2009), this HGO co-production received enthusiastic accolades at its premiere at Opera Australia. The season continues with what the Associated Press called "The most compelling newAmerican opera in decades." Dead Man Walking by Jake Heggie is a story of compassion andredemption that has played to sold-out houses across the U.S. and Europe in the decade since itspremiere. Much loved and world-renowned HGO Studio alumna Joyce DiDonato , most recently seen at HGO as Beatrice in Berlioz's Beatrice and Benedict, 2008, returns to HGO to sing the roleof Sister Helen Prejean, spiritual advisor to the convicted. Philip Cutlip, last seen at HGO as Donald in Britten's Billy Budd in 2008, will make his role debut as the death-row inmate Joseph De Rocher. Legendary mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade marks her farewell to the operatic stage with these appearances as De Rocher's mother, and Canadian soprano Measha Brueggergosman makes her HGO debut as Sister Rose. The production will be conducted by HGO Music Director Patrick Summers - who conducted the opera's world-premiere a decadeago as well as the acclaimed recording on Erato. Leonard Foglia directs.

The volatile religious and political conflicts of two ancient Scottish clans fuel the drama ofDonizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor. HGO Studio alumnae Albina Shagimuratova and ScottHendricks who thrilled audiences in HGO's production of Verdi's Rigoletto last season, sing theroles of Lucia and her brother Enrico. Tenor Dimitri Pittas, whom Opera News calls "a hugetalent with an easy ringing tenor voice," will make his HGO debut in the role of Edgardo, the scionof the Ravenswoods and secret love of Lucia, whose lands the Ashtons have taken. British bassMatthew Rose (Bottom in HGO's production of Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream, 2009)joins the cast as the minister Raimondo. Drama Desk and Tony Award-winning Scottish directorJohn Doyle (Sweeney Todd - Broadway, 2006) and designer Liz Ascroft create intense dramaamid the ever-shifting Scottish landscape in this new Houston Grand Opera production, whileexciting young Italian conductor Antonino Fogliani makes his HGO debut.HGO kicks off the Spring repertory with a veritable banquet of exceptional young talent inMozart's comedy of manners, The Marriage of Figaro. American bass-baritone Patrick Carfizzi,(Papagano in The Magic Flute, 2008) returns to sing the role of Figaro. Italian bass-baritone LucaPisaroni, renowned throughout the world of opera for his portrayal of Figaro, makes his HGOdebut and role debut as Count Almaviva. Soprano Elle Dehn, whom the Wall Street Journalpraises as "a charismatic soprano with great stage presence and a voice combining metallic clarity and sensual richness," also makes her HGO debut as Countess Almaviva, and Slovak SopranoAdriana Kucerova makes her role debut and North American operatic debut as Susanna. HarrySilverstein returns to HGO to revive the classic and lavish Göran Järvefelt production. JamesGaffigan makes his HGO conducting debut.

HGO's acclaimed production of Wagner's Lohengrin last fall was the first in a multi-year series of German opera that continues next year with performances of Strauss's Ariadne aufNaxos featuring a powerhouse all-star cast. A feast for the eyes and for the ears, Strauss's elegantand moving meditation on the conventions of the theater pits a comedienne against a prima donnaat a high-society dinner party in Vienna. Three glamorous and acclaimed leading ladies join forcesonstage: sopranos Christine Goerke, who gave a spellbinding performance as Ortrud inLohengrin (2009), will sing the dual role of the Prima Donna and Ariadne, and Laura Claycomb, who sang Tytania to rave reviews in Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream (HGO/2009), will play Zerbinetta.

Celebrated mezzo-soprano Susan Graham joins the cast as the Composer, one of hersignature roles that she has sung to great acclaim worldwide. Alexey Dolgov, who recently sangthe role of Cavaradossi in Tosca (HGO/2010) returns to sing the role of Bacchus. This lavish,sparkling period production will be directed by John Cox.HGOco's 2009 Leading Lights National Diversity Award-winning Song of HoustonProject, which brought the opera The Refuge to life in 2007, will present two new productions incelebration of the anniversaries of Mexican Independence and Revolution in 2010. Song ofHouston explores the enduring bonds and divisions between Mexico and the United States andcelebrates the incredible migration of the Monarch butterfly with Mexico 2010. The firstproduction, HGO's 41 st world premiere, Beyond the Face of the Moon, is composed for Mariachiand voice by Jose "Pepe" Maritinez of Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán with a libretto by LeonardFoglia, the distinguished director and writer who will also be directing Dead Man Walking thisseason. The opera chronicles three generations of one family, divided by countries and bycultures. Mexico 2010 also includes the world premiere of a new work for middle and high schoolstudents, available for performances in schools and community centers beginning March 15, 2010.The new Opera to Go! commission, A Way Home is composed by Ethan Frederick Greene with alibretto by Irene Keliher. This 45-minute opera tells the story of a teenager Gracie and her father,who travel from Houston to Mexico to scatter her mother's ashes. The performances will bebilingual in English and Spanish.

CAST AND PRODUCTION INFORMATIONGiacomo Puccini

NEW PRODUCTION

Madame Butterfly Oct. 22, 20107:00 p.m. (Season Opening Night) Oct. 24, 20102:00 p.m.Oct. 30, Nov. 2, 5, 20107:30 p.m.Brown Theater Sung in Italian with English Supertitles

At her wedding to Lieutenant B.F. Pinkerton (Joseph Calleja) the Geisha Cio-Cio-San (AnaMaría Martínez in a major role debut) promises to be his for life; just three years later,abandoned and on the verge of poverty, she and her young son wait with fierce hope for hisreturn. This visually stunning new production by the internationally acclaimed creative team ofdirector Michael Grandage (Hamlet - Broadway 2009; Frost/Nixon - Broadway 2007),designer Christopher Oram and lighting designer Neil Austin draws its inspiration fromtraditional Japanese art. HGO Music Director Patrick Summers conducts.Ana María Martínez, Cio-Cio-SanPatrick Summers, ConductorJoseph Calleja, PinkertonMichael Grandage, DirectorLevi Hernandez, SharplessChristopher Oram, Set and Costume DesignerLucy Schaufer, SuzukiNeil Austin, Lighting DesignerRodell Rosel, GoroRobert Pomakov, The BonzeHouston Grand Opera Orchestra and ChorusRichard Bado, Chorus Master

Benjamin Britten

NEW PRODUCTION

Peter Grimes Oct. 29, Nov. 6, 10, 12, 2010 7:30 p.m.Oct. 31, 20102:00 p.m.Brown TheaterSung in English with Supertitles

The mysterious death of an apprentice ignites the town's suspicions against the fisherman PeterGrimes (Anthony Dean Griffey) whose only ally is the school-mistress Ellen Orford (KatieVan Kooten). Peter Grimes brings to the stage the human struggle of the individual versus themasses against the backdrop of the raging sea. Directed by Tony Award nominee Neil Armfield(Exit the King - Broadway 2009), this HGO co-production garnered enthusiastic accolades at itsAustralian premiere. Patrick Summers conducts.Anthony Dean Griffey, Peter GrimesPatrick Summers, ConductorKatie Van Kooten, Ellen OrfordNeil Armfield, DirectorChristopher Purves, Captain BalstrodeRalph Myers, Set DesignerMeredith Arwady, AuntieTess Schofield, Costume DesignerPatrick Carfizzi, SwallowDamien Cooper, Lighting DesignerBeau Gibson, Bob BolesDenni Sayers, ChoreographerCatherine Wyn-Rogers, Mrs. SedleyJoseph Evans, Rev. Horace AdamsLiam Bonner, Ned KeeneRobert Pomakov, HobsonHouston Grand Opera Orchestra and ChorusRichard Bado, Chorus MasterA co-production of Houston Grand Opera, Opera Australia and West Australian Opera

Dead Man Walking

Music By Jake Heggie

Libretto by Terrence McNally

Based on the novel by Sister Helen Prejean Jan. 22, 29, Feb. 2, 4, 2011 7:30 p.m. Feb. 6, 20112:00 p.m. Brown Theater Sung in English with Supertitles

A story of compassion and redemption, Dead Man Walking has played to sold-out houses acrossthe U.S. and Europe in the decade since its premiere. Joseph De Rocher (Philip Cutlip) leads alonely life on death row until Sister Helen Prejean (Joyce DiDonato) arrives as his spiritualadvisor. Legendary mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade marks her farewell to the operatic stagewith these appearances as De Rocher's mother and Measha Brueggergosman makes her HGOdebut as Sister Rose. Patrick Summers - who conducted the opera's world premiere a decadeago as well as the acclaimed recording on Erato - conducts Houston Grand Opera'sperformances, which are directed by Leonard Foglia.Joyce DiDonato, Sister Helen PrejeanPatrick Summers, ConductorPhilip Cutlip, Joseph De RocherLeonard Foglia, DirectorFrederica von Stade, Mrs. Patrick De RocherMichael McGarty, Set DesignerMeasha Brueggergosman, Sister RoseJess Goldstein, Costume DesignerHector Vásquez, George BentonBrian Nason, Lighting DesignerJohn Packard, Owen HartSheryl Woods, Kitty Hart Susanne Mentzer, Jade BoucherJon Kolbet, Howard BoucherBeau Gibson, Fr. GrenvilleHouston Grand Opera Orchestra, Chorus and Children's ChorusRichard Bado, Chorus Master Adult content: contains strong language, nudity and depictions of sexual activity and violence. Dead Man Walking was commissioned by San Francisco Opera.A co-production of Opera Pacific, Cincinnati Opera, New York City Opera, Austin Lyric Opera, Michigan OperaTheatre, Pittsburgh Opera and Baltimore Opera.

 Gaetano Donizetti

NEW PRODUCTION

Lucia di Lammermoor

Jan. 28, Feb. 5, 9, 11, 2011 7:30 p.m.Jan. 30, 20112:00 p.m.

Brown TheaterSung in Italian with English Supertitles

The volatile religious and political conflicts of two ancient Scottish clans fuel the drama ofDonizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor. Enrico Ashton (Scott Hendricks) forces his sister Lucia(Albina Shagimuratova) to marry a powerful man despite her love for Edgardo (DimitriPittas), the scion of the Ravenswoods, whose lands the Ashtons have taken. Drama Desk andTony Award-winning director John Doyle (Sweeney Todd - Broadway, 2006) and designer LizAscroft create intense drama amid the ever-shifting Scottish landscape in this new HoustonGrand Opera production, while Italian conductor Antonino Fogliani makes his HGO debut.Albina Shagimuratova, LuciaAntonino Fogliani, ConductorDimitri Pittas, EdgardoJohn Doyle, DirectorScott Hendricks, EnricoLiz Ascroft, Set and Costume DesignerMatthew Rose, Raimondo`Jane Cox, Lighting DesignerBeau Gibson, NormannoHouston Grand Opera Orchestra and ChorusRichard Bado, Chorus Master
W. A. Mozart

The Marriage of Figaro

April 15, 23, 27, 30, 20117:30 p.m. April 17, 20112:00 p.m.

Brown Theater Sung in Italian with English Supertitles"...the young Italian baritone Luca Pisaroni... is fast becoming a star around the world. The voiceis ...elegant...well focused...delightfully nuanced. [He] will occupy the world's opera stages fordecades to come." -The New York Sun"Ellie Dehn [is] a charismatic soprano with great stage presence and a voice combining metallicclarity and sensual richness." -The Wall Street Journal"Adriana Kucerová...[sang] with a lovely clear, flexible soprano which seemed to radiatesunshine" - ConCertoNet.comA count, a countess, his valet and her maid: Mozart's musical comedy of manners is a cherishedfavorite around the world. Italian bass-baritone Luca Pisaroni plays the smooth CountAlmaviva, who guards his wife (Ellie Dehn) jealously, while lusting after her maid Susanna(Adriana Kucerova). On the eve of her wedding to Figaro (Patrick Carfizzi), Susanna and theCountess use their charm and wit to give the Count a taste of his own medicine! The acclaimedyoung American conductor James Gaffigan makes his Houston Grand Opera debut.Patrick Carfizzi, FigaroJames Gaffigan, ConductorLuca Pisaroni, Count AlmavivaGöran Järvefelt, Original DirectorEllie Dehn, CountessHarry Silverstein, DirectorAdriana Kucerova, SusannaCarl Friedrich Oberle, Set and Costume DesignerMarie Lenormand, CherubinoE. Loren Meeker, Choreographer andSusanne Mentzer, MarcellinaAssociate DirectorCarlo Lepore, Dr. BartoloJon Kolbet, Don BasilioHouston Grand Opera Orchestra and ChorusRichard Bado, Chorus Master

Richard Strauss

Ariadne auf Naxos

April 29, May 4, 7, 10, 2011 7:30 p.m. May 1, 20112:00 p.m.

Brown Theater

Sung in German with English Supertitles"Director John Cox ... has knit the entire Ariadne production together seamlessly, bringing outthe dichotomous nature of the theme with subtlety and finesse. A feast for the eyes and for the ears, Strauss's elegant and moving meditation on the conventionsof the theater pits a comedienne against a prima donna at a high-society dinner party in Vienna.Three glamorous and acclaimed leading ladies join forces onstage: sopranos Christine Goerke(Prima Donna / Ariadne) and Laura Claycomb (Zerbinetta) and mezzo-soprano Susan Graham(Composer) light up the stage at Houston Grand Opera in a lavish, sparkling production designedand directed by John Cox and conducted by Patrick Summers.Christine Goerke, AriadnePatrick Summers, ConductorSusan Graham, ComposerJohn Cox, DirectorLaura Claycomb, ZerbinettaRobert Perdziola, Set and Costume DesignerAlexey Dolgov, BacchusJohn Fanning, Music MasterRodell Rosel, Dancing MasterHouston Grand Opera OrchestraThe Lyric Opera of Chicago production of Ariadne auf Naxos was made possible by a generousgift from an anonymous donor

Lead Mainstage SupportersAlbert and Margaret Alkek FoundationThe Brown Foundation, Inc.Janice and Tom BarrowEdward and Frances Bing FundCarol Franc Buck FoundationAlbert and Anne Chao /Ting Tsung and Wei Fong Chao FoundationFranci and Jim CraneThe Cullen Trust for the Performing ArtsThe General and Mrs. Maurice HirschOpera FundHouston Grand Opera Endowment, Inc.The Humphreys FoundationKinder FoundationBeth MadisonMr. and Mrs. J. Landis MartinMr. and Mrs. Harlan C. Stai,Terrell Tone Owen Memorial EndowedDonor Advised Fund at the CommunityFoundation of AbileneMr. John G. Turner and Mr. Jerry G. FisherOpening Night SeriesSupported in part byWeeknight SeriesSupported in part byFriday SeriesSupported in part by NEXUS subscriptions are funded through the NEXUS InitiativeLead Supporters:The Honorable Peterand Anne S. Brown

Lead HGOco SupportersCity of Houston through the Miller TheatreAdvisory BoardWilliam Randolph Hearst FoundationThe Estate of Eleanor Searle McCollumThe Andrew W. Mellon FoundationBill and Sara MorganLynne Murray Sr. Educational FoundationShell Oil Company Foundation

To post a comment, you must register and login.