Duke of Mantua Does Crossfit: Stephen Costello And James Valenti

Stephen Costello (left) at Houston Grand Opera and James Valenti (right) at Dallas Opera, share the same Peter J. Hall-designed robe as the Duke of Mantua in Michael Yeargan's production of Rigoletto that was shared by the two companies. It's clear both tenors get gym time into their schedule to be as healthy as possible for the athletic sport of singing.

At 61, Dolora Zajick Proves Still Explosive As Verdi's Amneris

(Photo: Lynn Lane)

"....volcanic-voiced American mezzo Dolora Zajick, the reigning international interpreter of Amneris, who could sing this role in her sleep. Her voice is one of the wonders of the world, sailing through, and over, Verdi's thick orchestral color to give real life to the Egyptian princess racked by jealousy. For this revival, thankfully, her costumes have been lightened by more of Rhodes's gauzy fabrics, so she no longer looks like a walking sarcophagus as she did at this production's premiere. Rich and plummy, her instrument is beautiful through all ranges, and she can float a pianissimo with seductive softness like no other. But it's her phenomenal agility and power-in-agility that have made her the leading Verdian mezzo. She is divine, if not out-of-this-world, rock solid and commanding. In the cluttered stage pictures, you always know where she is." [Source] More photos of Dolora Zajick in the Zandra Rhodes production of Aida at the Houston Grand Opera after the jump.

The Butlers Did It! One Million Donation to Houston Grand Opera

"Dr. Ernest Butler and his wife Sarah are donating the money to endow the HGO Orchestra concertmaster position. Opera Managing Director Perryn Leech says the Butlers have been long-time supporters of the arts in Houston. 'And they travel all over the world seeing opera. Whenever they are abroad, they compare other companies to Houston Grand Opera, and they never left feeling that Houston Grand Opera isn't playing at the highest table — which is a huge compliment to us.' As a result of the million-dollar gift, HGO has now raised $127 million toward its campaign goal of $165 million that they hope to reach by December 2014." [Source]

HGO Appoints Eric Melear as Associate Music Director

Maestro Melear at Houston Grand Opera

"Houston Grand Opera Artistic and Music Director Patrick Summers today announced the appointment of Eric Melear as Associate Music Director, a newly-created position. The 2006 recipient of the Sir Georg Solti Foundation Award, Melear returns to Houston Grand Opera after a year on the music staff of the Wiener Staatsoper (Vienna State Opera), where he assisted on fourteen productions and conducted two children's operas. Previously, he was Associate Conductor/Assistant Chorus master with Houston Grand Opera and served as Head of Music Staff and Studio Manager at Wolf Trap Opera. As Associate Music Director, Mr. Melear will support Mr. Summers by conducting, coaching and accompanying singers and managing music staff. He will serve as Music Director of the Houston Grand Opera Studio. 'Eric will be my right hand,' said Mr. Summers, 'and most importantly will oversee the selection and pedagogy of the young artists of the renowned Houston Grand Opera Studio. Eric is a peerless musician and colleague, and his presence in the company will be a tremendous calling-card for the talented young singers and coaches who seek to complete their professional training in Houston. I am excited and honored that he has accepted the position and I look forward to our artistic work together.'

Melear with Daniel Cátan & Plácido Domingo

'I have long felt fortunate to call Houston Grand Opera my musical home, and I am thrilled to return at this pivotal time for the company,' commented Mr. Melear. 'I look forward to working alongside Patrick Summers, the new leadership team, and HGO's unparalleled staff to continue to uphold the high artistic standards that set this company apart.' A native of Moline, Illinois, Mr. Melear was a member of the Houston Grand Opera Studio and San Francisco Opera's Merola Program. His studies also included graduate work with esteemed pianist Martin Katz at the University of Michigan and a double major in music and math from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa." [Source]

Three Strauss Ladies Reviewed in HGO's "Ariadne"

"As The Prima Donna in the prologue and Ariadne in The Opera, Christine Goerke was confident and insistent, magnificent in every respect and clearly at the top of her game. Funny and dramatic, she seemed entirely natural in these roles, as if they had been written expressly for her. As well, her commanding voice was the only one that prevailed over a largely dominant orchestra. She has a powerful, fully resonant quality that would make her an ideal Wagnerian singer, and one can only imagine what her recent interpretation of Kundry in Parsifal at Turin’s Teatro Regio was like. I’d safely bet that it was incredible. Standing on her lonely rock and beckoning to what she believes is Hermes ready to escort her towards death, a spine-tingling moment, she was one of the most extraordinary artists on HGO’s stage this season."

"Just a month ago at Dallas Opera, Laura Claycomb gave an exacting, emotional performance as Gilda in Verdi’s popular Rigoletto. Her voice was rich and confident, clear in the high notes, her phrasing smooth and inventive. Thrilling to hear, she was also a very convincing actor, vulnerable and endearing as the hunchbacked jester’s beautiful daughter. This being the only other role I’ve seen her perform, however, it appears that she is much more attuned to Verdi’s flowing Italian than Strauss’ dense Austrian-flavored German. Her interpretation of Zerbinetta on Friday was largely unremarkable. It seemed she was protecting her voice in order to make it through the thing. Her high notes were raspy, sometimes thin. She struggled with the coloratura flourishes in the lengthy second-scene 'Opera' aria. She looked tired. This might have been unnoticeable if she had exuded more charisma. Zerbinetta is an 'all or nothing' role, and Claycomb stayed safely in the middle."

"In the prologue it is Zerbinetta, I believe, who refers to The Composer with contempt, saying, 'his endless top notes are irritating.' Funny when mentioned within the opera, unfortunately this was exactly the case with Susan Graham, who didn’t seem in good voice on Friday night. It was as if she couldn’t hear herself. She seemed even out of breath at times. Most of her top notes were distinctly sharp or flat, and vocally she wandered throughout the scene, giving us far too many sudden fortissimos. Strauss gave some of his most glorious phrases to this character, and I kept waiting for Graham to settle in and dazzle, but she didn’t. There is also the matter of her acting. Yes, The Composer has a stormy persona, but that doesn’t mean the part is one-dimensional. 'He' has to do more than stamp his foot time and again."

[Source]

HGO's Anthony Freud To Replace LOC's William Mason

Mr. Freud will leave Houston

"Lyric Opera of Chicago named Anthony Freud as its new general director, succeeding William Mason, 69 years old, who had announced plans to retire. The changeover becomes effective Oct. 1, opening night of Lyric's 2011-2012 season. Mr. Freud, a 53-year-old native of London, has been general director of the Houston Grand Opera since 2006 and, prior to that, was general director of the Welsh National Opera. He also currently is chairman of Opera America, the largest professional opera association in North America. In 2010, Mr. Freud commissioned and produced the world's first mariachi opera, Cruzar la Cara de la Luna/To Cross the Face of the Moon, a work recounting the story of three generations of a family in Texas and Mexico. Mr. Freud will be the fourth general director in Lyric's 57-year history." [Source]

Houston Grand Opera Honors Frederica Von Stade

(Photo: Eric Melear)

"In recognition of her stellar career and long association with the company, HGO named her an Honorary Board Member and created the The Silver Rose Award. She has won almost every award possible for her music, and she holds the distinction of simultaneously holding the first and second spots on national sales charts. She's been nominated for six Grammys, won two Grand Prix du Disc awards, and in 1998 was awarded France's highest honor in the Arts when she was appointed an officer of L'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. Von Stade was given a special award at The White House by President Reagan in recognition of her significant contribution to the arts, and she's constantly asked to sing at global opening ceremonies, most recently the 2002 Winter Olympics. Elegies, an opera by Richard Danielpour (co-writer of Dead Man Walking with Jake Heggie), was written specifically for von Stade." [Source]

Joyce DiDonato Asks: Pantalones o faldas?

As subjects answer the all important question, "Pants or Skirts?", there seems to be
some dissension amongst the ranks! Let's hope it got settled peacefully.

In an ongoing effort to promote her new CD, mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato has taken to guerilla media tactics by filming anyone she can find at the Houston Grand Opera (including Frederica von Stage, Jake Heggie, Anthony Freud, stage door guards,

ushers, choristers, etc.) to ask them "Pants or Skirts?" and "Divas or Divos?" The results are quite funny, if not completely real and authentic. My personal favorite is the guy at the 2:20 mark (wearing the Department of Corrections cap) who tells the story of Montserrat "Cabriel." More information about Joyce's new CD is here. Video is after the jump.

Mark Diamond Wins Eleanor McCollum Competition

Diamond (right) getting a lesson at Glimmerglass

"The 23-year-old baritone took first place in Houston Grand Opera's 23rd annual Eleanor McCollum Competition for Young Singers. The winners were selected during last week's Concert of Arias at Wortham Theater Center, the final round in which eight singers each performed two arias. 'I did not expect to win,' Diamond says, 'so it's pretty exciting. HGO is an amazing company, and this competition has a spectacular reputation.' Diamond won with his performances of the arias 'Hai già vinta la causa; from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro and 'Mein Sehnen, mein Wähnen' from

The winner with Flicka

Erich Wolfgang Korngold's Die tote Stadt." Judges for the competition included Frederica von Stade, Patrick Summers and Anthony Freud. More than 700 singers from around the world applied for this year's competition. Contestants vied for $25,000 in cash prizes. Baritone Thomas Florio won the second-place prize, soprano Lauren Snouffer won third place, and bass Adam Lau received the Audience Choice Award. Mark Diamond has accepted an offer to join the Houston Grand Opera Studio beginning in the fall 2011. Biography and pictures of Mark Diamond after the jump. [Source, Source, Source]