HOUSTON GRAND OPERA PREPARING TO LAUNCH 2025-26 SEASON ON OCTOBER 24, 2025
October 20, 2025—Houston Grand Opera (HGO) is proud to announce that its new season is set to open this weekend. The 2025-26 season will launch with the American opera that first defined HGO as a trailblazer, the Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess; followed by the company’s first-ever presentation of Puccini’s masterful trio of one-act operas, Il trittico; a revised version of Kevin Puts and Mark Campbell’s Pulitzer Prize-winning 2011 opera Silent Night; Humperdinck’s enchanting Hansel and Gretel; HGO’s first-ever Messiah, composed by Handel and arranged by Mozart, in an American premiere production by Robert Wilson; and Rossini’s crowd-pleasing The Barber of Seville. HGO.org
THE NEW SEASON TO FEATURE CHERISHED AMERICAN OPERA PORGY AND BESS; THE HGO PREMIERE OF PUCCINI’S IL TRITTICO; A REVISED VERSION OF KEVIN PUTS’S SILENT NIGHT; FAMILY-FRIENDLY FAVORITE HANSEL AND GRETEL; THE AMERICAN PREMIERE OF DIRECTOR ROBERT WILSON’S MESSIAH; AND ADORED COMEDY THE BARBER OF SEVILLE
THE 2025-26 SEASON THEME CELEBRATES “THE LIGHT WE HOLD” FOR OPERA
“As we gear up for our new season, there is something truly special happening here at the Wortham Theater Center. The excitement and energy filling our rehearsal rooms can be felt in every corner of the building,” says HGO General Director and CEO Khori Dastoor. “Bringing this collection of masterpieces to life in one season is an immense undertaking. We are all joining forces—artists, artisans, creatives, and staff—to create a transcendent experience for our beloved audiences, who, like us, hold a light for our grand art form. We cannot wait to welcome Houston, and opera lovers from around the world, to the theater!”
HGO opens its 2025-26 season with the Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess, marking 50 years since HGO’s historic, Tony- and Grammy-winning staging of the beloved American classic. In celebration, on October 24, the company will welcome audiences with a Grand Foyer performance from the lively Jazz Houston Youth Orchestra, before the show and during intermission. After the evening’s curtain call, HGO will host its annual Opening Night Dinner, chaired by Dina Alsowayel and Tony Chase, on the Wortham's Ray C. Fish Plaza. (Information at HGO.org/OpeningNight)
Porgy and Bess is beloved for its moving story and groundbreaking fusion of jazz, spirituals, blues, and classical music. Set in the Jim Crow South, the opera shares the tale of Porgy, a disabled beggar, and Bess, a woman struggling with addiction, who fall in love. Directed by the legendary Francesca Zambello, the opera will be led by a cast of giants, including bass-baritone Michael Sumuel as Porgy, soprano Angel Blue as Bess, baritone Blake Denson as Crown, and soprano Latonia Moore in her HGO mainstage debut as Serena. Internationally acclaimed conductor James Gaffigan takes the podium, with Richard Bado conducting the Nov. 11, 13, and 15 performances. (Oct. 24 to Nov. 15, 2025)
Also part of HGO’s fall repertoire is the company’s first-ever full presentation of Il trittico, Puccini’s masterful triptych of one-act operas, led by sought-after director James Robinson. The evening will start with Il tabarro, the tragic tale of a barge captain, his young wife, and her lover; followed by Suor Angelica, the story of a nun with a haunted past; and close with Gianni Schicchi, the tale of a cunning conman who turns a family’s greed into a delightful farce. The production boasts a powerhouse lead cast that will take on multiple roles across the three one-acts, including soprano Corinne Winters in her company debut, mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton, bass-baritone Ryan McKinny, and tenor Arturo Chacón-Cruz. Maestro Patrick Summers, entering his final season as HGO’s artistic and music director, conducts. (Oct. 30 to Nov. 14, 2025)
Winter will bring the Houston premiere of composer Kevin Puts and librettist Mark Campbell’s Pulitzer Prize-winning 2011 opera Silent Night, inspired by the 2005 film Joyeux Noël. Presented in a revised version co-produced by HGO and the Metropolitan Opera, the opera captures the real-life Christmas truce of 1914, during World War I, when one soldier’s defiant caroling sparks a ceasefire. Directed by James Robinson, this trilingual production features a superlative lead cast that includes tenor Duke Kim as German opera singer/soldier Nikolaus Sprink with soprano Sylvia D’Eramo as his diva lover, Anna Sørensen, joined by bass-baritone Ryan McKinny, baritone Iurii Samoilov, and baritone Thomas Glass as the story’s three lieutenants. Dynamic young conductor Kensho Watanabe makes his company debut at the podium. (Jan. 23 to Feb. 8, 2026)
Next, HGO presents Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel, adapted from the Brothers Grimm tale. Brought to life by director/designer Antony McDonald in his company debut, the family-friendly story unfolds in a German romantic land full of dirndls, Alpine hats, and misty clouds, where the titular protagonists undertake a dangerous journey to the realm where the Witch reigns from her house of cake. Mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke as Hansel and soprano Mané Galoyan as Gretel lead the opera’s stellar cast, with mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton making a star turn as the Witch who, outsmarted by the children, takes a dive into a cauldron of bubbling chocolate. Andreas Ottensamer makes his anticipated debut at the podium. (Jan. 30 to Feb. 15, 2026)
In the spring, HGO will honor the legacy of late theatrical genius Robert Wilson with a presentation of his mesmerizing vision of the revered Messiah, composed by Handel and arranged by Mozart. The director’s production, a surreal and captivating theatrical spectacle, will make its American premiere at HGO, in the first performances of the composer’s majestic oratorio in company history. This production will showcase the renowned HGO Chorus alongside an exceptional cast: soprano Ying Fang in her company debut, countertenor Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen, tenor Ben Bliss, and bass-baritone Nicholas Newton, joined by the dancer Alexis Fousekis. Maestro Patrick Summers takes the podium for this can’t-miss HGO event, his final engagement in his current position before assuming an emeritus role with the company. (Apr. 17 to May 3, 2026)
HGO will close the mainstage season with a fan favorite, Rossini’s uproarious masterpiece The Barber of Seville, in a delightful staging created by director Joan Font. An outstanding cast headlines the production, with baritone Will Liverman in his HGO mainstage debut as the charming barber Figaro. He is joined by tenor Jack Swanson as the dashing Count Almaviva; mezzo-soprano Daniela Mack in her company debut as the Count’s love, the mysterious beauty Rosina; baritone Alessandro Corbelli as Rosina’s pompous old guardian, Dr. Bartolo; and bass-baritone Luca Pisaroni as her music teacher, Don Basilio. Gemma New, principal conductor of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, makes her company debut at the podium. (Apr. 24 to May 10, 2026)
HGO will offer a series of themed experiences at the Wortham Theater Center during select mainstage performances of the 2025-26 season. The company will host a series of Under 40 Friday evenings for younger audiences at Porgy and Bess (Nov. 7, 2025), Silent Night (Jan. 23, 2026), and Messiah (May 1, 2026); Military Appreciation Day (Jan. 25, 2026, Silent Night); Pride Night (Apr. 30, 2026, The Barber of Seville); Noche de Ópera, celebrating Houston’s Latinx community (May 8, 2026, The Barber of Seville); and a series of mixers for Overture, HGO’s LGBTQIA+ social group, at Porgy and Bess (Nov. 9, 2025), Hansel and Gretel (Feb. 7, 2026), and The Barber of Seville (Apr. 30, 2026).
HGO’s 2025-26 mainstage season will include two special performances that will allow Houston-area students to experience the magic of opera during a night out at the Wortham Theater Center. Hansel and Gretel will be presented in a special English-language Student Matinee performance on February 12, 2026, and The Barber of Seville will be presented in a High School Night performance on April 28, 2026.
More Opera
On February 6, 2026, HGO will host the 38th annual Concert of Arias, the live final round of the Eleanor McCollum Competition for Young Singers. The event will see a group of talented young artists from across the world compete for top honors, a potential invitation to join the Butler Studio, and newly increased cash prizes. For the second year, the performers will be accompanied by the HGO Orchestra, with Maestro Patrick Summers, who has played an important role in identifying and developing the company’s Butler Studio artists throughout his tenure as HGO’s artistic and music director, conducting.
Following the success of HGO’s first Family Day, the company will host its second annual event, a Family Day performance of Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel, on February 14, 2026. Directed by Grammy Award-winning mezzo-soprano and company favorite Sasha Cooke, this 90-minute, English-language production will be presented in a relaxed environment designed for young audiences. Guests are also invited to enjoy interactive activities in the Grand Foyer, both before the show and during intermission.
In winter 2026, HGO will celebrate the seventh annual Giving Voice, a cherished event conceived by acclaimed tenor Lawrence Brownlee. The concert honors the legacy and impact of Black artists in opera and song, highlighting their enduring influence on the art form. Tickets will be available in January 2026.
On March 13 and 15, 2026, HGO’s Butler Studio will stage a special production inside the Wortham Theater Center’s intimate Cullen Theater: Carlisle Floyd’s Of Mice and Men, presented in celebration of the centennial of the composer’s birth. The acclaimed 1970 opera shares the poignant tale of two laborers, George and Lennie, seeking work during the Great Depression. The friends dream of a better life, but their story—driven by the composer’s haunting, folk-and-blues-infused score—ends in tragedy. Directed by Kristine McIntyre, the production will feature a cast of artists from the 2025-26 class of the Butler Studio, led by tenor Demetrious Sampson, Jr. as Lennie and bass-baritone Sam Dhobhany as George. Benjamin Manis conducts.
Ticket Information
Throughout the 2025-26 season, HGO invites audiences to take advantage of its partnership with True Tickets, a secure and streamlined digital ticketing service. The mobile-friendly platform makes accessing performances easier than ever, offering enhanced convenience and security. For those new to digital tickets, HGO’s Customer Care Team will be on hand for support.
As part of HGO’s mission to invite all Houstonians to experience the operatic art form, the company continues to serve audiences through its popular Opening Nights for Young Professionals (ONYP) discounted subscription series; tickets starting at $25 for all productions; discounted single tickets for veterans and active military members, available for 10% off all season; and $20 student tickets to mainstage productions, accessible one month prior to the opening of every performance with a valid student ID.
During the 2025-26 season, the company is featuring a variety of ticket offerings, from flexible three-opera packages to subscriptions for the full six-opera season, which start at $100 and include exclusive season extras. Single tickets, packages, and subscriptions are now available at HGO.org, with the best value offered through the “Mostly Friday Nights” subscription package.
To purchase tickets or learn more about the organization, visit HGO.org or call the Houston Grand Opera Box Office at 713-228-6737.
PHOTOS: Photos that can be used with coverage of the HGO 2025-26 season can be found here. All photos are courtesy of Houston Grand Opera.
About Houston Grand Opera
Houston Grand Opera (HGO) is one of the largest, most innovative, and most highly acclaimed opera companies in the United States. General Director and CEO Khori Dastoor assumed leadership of the organization and responsibility for its strategic vision in 2021. HGO is the only American finalist for Opera Company of the Year in the 2025 International Opera Awards, and the only American company to be nominated three times. In fulfilling its mission to advance the operatic art, to serve the Houston community, and to be a global leader in the future of opera, HGO has led the field in commissioning and producing new works (76 world premieres to date) and in training and nurturing promising young artists and administrators. In 2025, the company launched the Houston Grand Opera record label, enabling it to share American operatic works with a broad international audience. HGO contributes to the cultural enrichment of Houston and the nation through a diverse and innovative program of performances, community events, and education projects that reaches the widest possible public. The company’s pioneering Community and Learning initiative has served as a model for other arts organizations. HGO invites all Houstonians to experience superlative opera without the barrier of price through discounted single tickets and subscriptions, subsidized student performances, and free productions.
HGO has toured extensively and has won a Tony, two Grammy awards, and three Emmy awards. It is the only opera company to win all three honors.
For more information, please contact Krista Williams or Carla Sacks at Sacks & Co., 212.741.1000.
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