{"id":320657,"date":"2025-10-21T07:57:10","date_gmt":"2025-10-21T07:57:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/320657\/"},"modified":"2025-10-21T07:57:10","modified_gmt":"2025-10-21T07:57:10","slug":"%f0%9f%8e%ad-houston-grand-opera-opens-its-new-season-with-porgy-and-bess","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/320657\/","title":{"rendered":"\ud83c\udfad Houston Grand Opera opens its new season with Porgy and Bess"},"content":{"rendered":"

HOUSTON<\/strong> \u2013 The curtain is about to rise at Houston Grand Opera, launching a brand-new season with one of the most powerful and enduring works ever written – Porgy and Bess.<\/p>\n

Fifty years after HGO\u2019s groundbreaking 1976 staging went on to Broadway and earned both a Tony and a Grammy, the Gershwins\u2019 masterpiece returns to the Wortham Theater Center in a celebrated new production directed by Francesca Zambello.<\/p>\n

And as Houston Life discovered, bringing a story of this scale to the stage takes an entire world behind the curtain – from the conductor\u2019s podium to the costume and wig shop that hums with creative energy months before opening night.<\/p>\n

The Heartbeat of Porgy and Bess<\/b><\/p>\n

In the Grand Foyer, I caught up with conductor James Gaffigan, who returns to the city where his career began – as a student at Rice University\u2019s Shepherd School of Music.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe history of this piece at this company is extraordinary,\u201d Gaffigan said. \u201cIt\u2019s one of those works that breaks boundaries – opera, musical theater, classical and jazz all in one. This cast, this orchestra, this chorus\u2026 they\u2019re world-class. Houston audiences are in for something truly special.\u201d<\/p>\n

Voices with Deep Roots<\/b><\/p>\n

Baritone Justin Austin, who plays Jake, has a lifelong connection to Porgy and Bess – and, technically, it started before he could walk.<\/p>\n

When his mother, an opera singer, performed in another company\u2019s production of Porgy and Bess, baby Justin was nearby – and ended up unofficially playing the infant on stage.<\/p>\n

\u201cI played the role of Clara\u2019s baby,\u201d he laughed. \u201cThat baby grew up to be me! Now I\u2019m back as Jake – it\u2019s come full circle.\u201d<\/p>\n

Austin says returning to HGO is deeply meaningful.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a big deal for me and my family,\u201d he said. \u201cMy mother started her career as an opera singer here in HGO\u2019s Butler Opera Studio. It\u2019s been one of my dreams to follow in her footsteps and sing on this stage.\u201d<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Grammy Award-winning soprano Angel Blue, who stars as Bess, balances powerhouse performances with a passion for mentoring young artists. She loves inspiring the next generation of opera singers – and she lives her message on stage and off.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I step into a role, I\u2019m careful not to judge my characters,\u201d she said. \u201cBess is someone people might see as troubled, but I try to be honest with who she is – that\u2019s where truth and connection come from.\u201d<\/p>\n

Blue\u2019s sense of compassion extends far beyond the footlights.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s really important to uplift people,\u201d she added. \u201cI care about people, even if I don\u2019t know them. And I want the next generation to feel hope. After all, my name is Angel – I take that responsibility happily.\u201d<\/p>\n

Crafting the World of Catfish Row<\/b><\/p>\n

Of course, the music is only half the story. The look of Porgy and Bess – the texture, the movement, the authenticity – all come to life inside HGO\u2019s costume and wig shop, tucked within the Wortham\u2019s backstage maze.<\/p>\n

Once a bank, it\u2019s now a vibrant studio filled with bolts of fabric, shelves of wigs, and racks of costumes that tell a story of their own. The original bank vault is now used for costume fittings!<\/p>\n

Kristen Burke, HGO\u2019s Director of Production, oversees the massive operation – coordinating not only Porgy and Bess but seven other productions this season.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe start working anywhere from 18 months to a year ahead,\u201d Burke explained. \u201cPorgy and Bess is a rental – we bring in the costumes from Washington National Opera and the sets from Glimmerglass Festival. Then our team fits, alters, and even rebuilds pieces to make sure they\u2019re perfect for our cast.\u201d<\/p>\n

These costumes carry serious pedigree.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey were designed by Oscar-winner Paul Tazewell, who also designed for Hamilton and Wicked: The Movie,\u201d Burke said. \u201cWe still consult with him or his associates to honor his original vision – down to the color, the cut, and the wear and tear that makes them feel real.\u201d<\/p>\n

Each costume tag tells its own story – listing the names of opera legends who have worn the same garments before.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a lot of history in these pieces,\u201d Burke added. \u201cOpera costumes can live for decades, traveling from company to company. We\u2019re just adding the next page.\u201d<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udfad From Rehearsal to Spotlight<\/b><\/p>\n

For the teams at Houston Grand Opera, every stitch, every note, and every rehearsal leads to that electrifying moment when the curtain rises and the orchestra swells.<\/p>\n

Porgy and Bess opens October 24, 2025, at the Wortham Theater Center, launching HGO\u2019s new season with nine performances.<\/p>\n

For tickets and showtimes, visit HGO.org<\/a> or call 713-228-6737.<\/p>\n

Houston Grand Opera\u2019s legacy is built on artistry, innovation, and heart – and as the company brings Porgy and Bess back to its stage, it proves once again that Houston stands among the world\u2019s great cultural cities.<\/p>\n

Copyright 2025 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"HOUSTON \u2013 The curtain is about to rise at Houston Grand Opera, launching a brand-new season with one…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":320658,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5130],"tags":[160601,160607,160608,160597,160605,4345,160606,129800,32958,160602,160604,160603,160599,160600,104271,358,3187,160598],"class_list":{"0":"post-320657","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-houston","8":"tag-angel-blue","9":"tag-behind-the-scenes-opera","10":"tag-conductor-james-gaffigan","11":"tag-hgo","12":"tag-hgo-performance-tickets","13":"tag-houston","14":"tag-houston-cultural-events","15":"tag-houston-grand-opera","16":"tag-houston-life","17":"tag-justin-austin","18":"tag-opera-costumes","19":"tag-opera-rehearsal-process","20":"tag-opera-season-2025","21":"tag-paul-tazewell","22":"tag-seen-on-houston-life","23":"tag-texas","24":"tag-tx","25":"tag-wortham-theater-center"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/115411094392812875","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/320657","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=320657"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/320657\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/320658"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=320657"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=320657"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=320657"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}