David Clarke

BWW Reviews: Opera in the Height's FALSTAFF is a Delightful and Mirtful Comedy

Last night, Houston's Opera in the Heights opened their production of Giuseppe Verdi's FALSTAFF. The mirthful and comedic opera is the last production of their 2012-2013 season, but the most exhilarating aspect of the production is seeing an opera performed so intimately. This was my first time to visit Lambert Hall, and I was simply blown away by how close to the action I was, even in the last row of the Orchestra level. Opera in the Heights provides a novel and intriguing way to experience opera that I, and I'm sure many others, are simply unaccustomed to.

BWW Reviews: HGO's TRISTAN AND ISOLDE is Immaculately Profound, Riveting, and Unforgettable

The 2012-2013 season at Houston Grand Opera (HGO) has been filled with stunning performances of astounding operatic talent; however, their current production of Richard Wagner's TRISTAN AND ISOLDE may be the sparkling gem of this fascinating season. Every aspect of the production gels with perfection, making this production remarkable and truly unforgettable.

BWW Reviews: HGO's THE MEMORY STONE is Haunting, Gorgeous, and Spellbinding

Houston Grand Opera (HGO)'s 50th World Premiere Opera had its first public performance last night at Asia Society Texas Center. This enchanting chamber opera is a gorgeous and stirring piece that examines the power and necessity of memory for the advancement of the human species. It opens with rollicking thunder and a stunning, breathtaking image that is representative of the destruction of Japan in wake of the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami. As a woman sings about various terrible and destructive moments from Japan's rich history, the scene shifts to the tea room in Houston's Japanese garden. Here the non-linear opera explores how such tragedies affect Japanese-Americans and immigrants from Japan, deftly playing on the emotions, sympathy, and empathy of the assembled audience. The compelling opera elicited several gasps of sorrow, pain, and understanding from the opening night audience as the beauty of the piece spoke to our hearts, minds, and souls.

BWW Interviews: Marty Regan and Kenny Fries Talk HGO's THE MEMORY STONE

Shortly after many children all over Houston had hunted lawns for eggs and other treats that the mythical Easter Bunny delivered this past Sunday, I had a delightful conversation with composer Marty Regan and librettist Kenny Fries for Houston Grand Opera (HGO)'s 50th World Premiere, THE MEMORY STONE. We discussed the new opera, looking into its creation, meaning, and cultural significance. As we talked about THE MEMORY STONE, it became abundantly clear that this particular opera is most deserving of being HGO's magical 50th World Premiere and that it will be one that audiences should not miss.

BWW Reviews: CRUZAR LA CARA DE LA LUNA is Astoundingly Beautiful and Compelling

Houston Grand Opera's 41st World Premiere Opera CRUZAR LA CARA DE LA LUNA/TO CROSS THE FACE OF THE MOON premiered in the Brown Theater at the Wortham Center on November 13, 2012. The performance played in front of 2,400 patrons, the largest-ever audience in the Brown Theater. Following that rousing premiere, CRUZAR LA CARA DE LA LUNA and its original cast opened the 2011 season at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris. The production ran for six performances. Upon arriving in Paris, 80% of the tickets were already sold, and word of mouth lead to complete sell outs for the final three performances. Last night, the gorgeous and stirring CRUZAR LA CARA DE LA LUNA opened in the Wortham Center's Brown Theater again, earning thunderous applause and sincere admiration from the audience.

BWW Interviews: Vanessa Cerda-Alonzo Talks HGO's CRUZAR LA CARA DE LA LUNA

I recently got the chance to speak with Vanessa Cerda-Alonzo, who has been performing all over the world as Lupita in the world's first Mariachi Opera, CRUZAR LA CARA DE LA LUNA. We talked about her career, her training through Multicultural Education and Counseling through the Arts (M.E.C.A), and CRUZAR LA CARA DE LA LUNA. Also, she freely told me, 'It's very moving, CRUZA LA CARA DE LA LUNA.' Vanessa Cerda-Alonzo also quoted Cecilia Duarte, who sings Renata, exclaiming, 'Bring your tissues because you're going to cry!'

BWW Interviews: Charles Swan Talks About His Career, Being a Swing, SHOW BOAT, and Teaching

As Houston Grand Opera began rehearsing SHOW BOAT, the Houston theatre community started to focus a lot of attention on the production. Utilizing social media, friends and followers of the artists got inside looks into the impressive amounts of dedicated labor, passion, and sheer hard work that went into getting SHOW BOAT to float and sail on stage. Yet, 140 characters on Twitter, a Facebook status update, and a photo on Instagram can only say so much. Luckily, I was able to converse with Houston area native, Charles Swan, about his career, being a swing for SHOW BOAT, and how he juggles being a professional performer and a teacher.

BWW Reviews: HGO's DON GIOVANNI's Plot Drags Despite Tremendous Talents

Running opposite the bright and colorful SHOWBOAT in Houston Grand Opera's winter repertoire is an austere and dark production of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Lorenzo Da Ponte's DON GIOVANNI. This atmospheric and melodramatic opera presents the audience with the lecherous Don Giovanni, who has hired Leporello to keep a little black book of each of his numerous conquests and sexual assaults against the women of Europe. The show opens with Donna Anna escaping the man and crying out about his assault. Her father rushes to protect her and is unapologetically slain by Don Giovanni. Moving on, Don Giovanni stupefies the naïve Zerlina with his Casanova-like charms and lures her away from her husband Masetto. Meanwhile, Donna Anna, her fiancé, Don Ottavio, and Donna Elvira, an embittered woman that is one of Don Giovanni's conquests, all strive to bring his transgressive improprieties to public light.

BWW Reviews: Houston Grand Opera's Entertaining SHOW BOAT Dazzles and Delights

Houston Grand Opera opened their Winter Repertory offerings with an impressive and rousing production of Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II's iconic book musical SHOW BOAT. The musical historically changed the face of American Musical Theatre and introduced a genre of entertainment that many feel OKLAHOMA perfected and solidified. Despite it's classification as a musical, the show's score is incredibly operatic and requires many classically trained voices to effectively pull off a production.

BWW Interviews: Rachel Willis-Sørensen Talks Her Career, Houston Grand Opera's DON GIOVANNI, and the Best Aspects of Performing Opera

Despite being wholly busy and working on perfecting DON GIOVANNI with the Houston Grand Opera creative teams and cast, I had the pleasure of being able to spend a delightful 30 minutes with the talented and intelligent Rachel Willis-Sørensen. We discussed her career, including her impressive contest wins, preparing Donna Anna in DON GIOVANI for Houston audiences, performing in Houston, and the best aspects of being an opera performer.

BWW Interviews: Lara Teeter Talks SHOW BOAT, Cap'n Andy, His Career and About Teaching

In the crisp, morning hours on December 27, 2012 I got the chance to speak with Lara Teeter, who will be playing Cap'n Andy in the upcoming production of SHOW BOAT at Houston Grand Opera. The celebrated actor had a plethora of interesting and scholarly items to discuss about SHOW BOAT, and the character of Cap'n Andy. We also had a good time discussing his career as an actor, director, choreographer, and teacher.

BWW Interviews: Patrick Carfizzi Spills on His Opera Career and Playing Mustafà

Patrick Carfizzi has a lot of future projects lined up. Yet, Houston audiences are lucky enough to have the opportunity to see him perform as Mustafa in Rossini's THE ITALIAN GIRL IN ALGIERS, playing now through November 11, 2012. When Patrick Carfizzi isn't on stage he is teaching (which is something he loves and plans to do more of as time and schedule permits), volunteering for community groups, and working with the elderly from time to time. He is "delighted, honored, and grateful" to do what he does for a living. Despite his busy schedule, he spent a few minutes to talk with me about his career in opera, THE ITALIAN GIRL IN ALGIERS, and his character Mustafa.

BWW Reviews: HGO's THE ITALIAN GIRL IN ALGIERS Sparkles with Rib-Tickling Whimsy

Houston Grand Opera is performing Gioachino Rossini's splendid, humorous, and simply delightful L'italiana in Algeri or THE ITALIAN GIRL IN ALGIERS for the first time. Even knowing that comedic operas exist, it is still seems somewhat like a contradiction to this opera novice. With that said, being able to laugh and smile all the through a performance made this production all the more memorable and enjoyable.

BWW Reviews: HGO's Splendid, Opulent LA BOHÈME is an Immaculate Production

Houston Grand Opera is opening its 2012-2013 season with a lavish and fresh production of one of the world's favorite operas, LA BOHÈME by Giacomo Puccini. The familiar opera tells the story of four bohemian artists that live in the same garret (apartment) in 1830s Paris. The poet, Rodolfo, falls for Mimi, a seamstress suffering from Tuberculosis. His friend Marcello, a painter, has recently broken up with Musetta, but is still fascinated by her. In a series of short glimpses into their lives, the audience sees Rodolfo and Mimi fall into a deep, passionate love that is eventually troubled and torn asunder by Rodolfo's jealousies and concerns about her health.

BWW Interviews: Heidi Stober Talks Playing Musetta in LA BOHÈME

LA BOHÈME opens this week at Houston Grand Opera. It runs from October 19 to November 10, 2012. Busy with rehearsals and putting the final touches on this perennial favorite, Heidi Stober who is portraying Musetta took a few moments to chat about the character, the show, and herself.

BWW Reviews: HGO's NEW ARRIVALS - A Touching and Inspiring Opera

During the month of June, Houston Grand Opera (HGO) in conjunction with Asia Society Texas produced and premiered a fantastic and newly commissioned opera New Arrivals, featuring a libretto by Catherine Filloux and music by John Glover. As a whole, New Arrivals is a sensational new opera that will hopefully be performed many more times around the world, presenting a story that deserves to be told, received, and appreciated.

BWW Interviews: Catherine Filloux Talks Libretto for NEW ARRIVALS

Catherine Filloux is applying the finishing touches to her highly anticipated, new libretto for Houston Grand Opera's production of New Arrivals. Houston Grand Opera commissioned the piece. Giving Houston and world audiences a sneak peak into the opera, with a score by John Gover, and the story behind its creation, Catherine Filloux took a moment of her time to answer some of my questions.