Intown Arts Fall 2023

We are still in the midst of tremendous heat (I keep reminding myself and others, “THIS IS TEXAS in the Summer!) but September brings the beginning of a new 2023-2024 classical music season for Houston.  Perhaps even a break from the weather.  From my angle, the new season looks very exciting.  Let’s begin – 

Houston Symphony Orchestra

As has been for many years now, HSO presents its classical music season over eighteen weekends.  There are some differences in availability, however, as three of the weekends will be initially available to season subscribers.  Those are the Bruckner Symphony No.8 conducted by former Music Director Christoph Eschenbach in February, and the final two concerts in June 202, a “Strauss Festival” with the composer’s Four Last Songs and An Alpine Symphony followed by two unstaged performances of Strauss’s complete opera, Salome.  Both of the final Strauss concerts are conducted by HSO Music Director Juraj Valčuha. 

My picks for the season highlights include the three concerts mentioned about and the opening weekend of Ravel’s Daphnis and Chloe conducted by Valčuha on September 29, 30 and October 1 2023.  (Suites 1 and 2 on the 29 and the complete ballet on the remaining two dates.) Valčuha also conducts a “Symphonic Dances Festival” in November with music by Rachmaninov, Barton and Ravel on two weekends. 

In early December, former Music Director Andres Orozco-Estrada returning and conducting two important works by Shostakovich, the brilliant Violin Concerto 1 and the chilling Symphony 11, “The Year 1905.”

In February, Itzhak Perlman conducts the Tchaikovsky Symphony 5. In March Valčuha leads three performances of Mahler’s epic Symphony 6, “The Tragic.”

All performances are at Jones Hall and the entire classical schedule as well as other performances can be accessed at www.houstonsymphony.org.

 

Houston Grand Opera 

One again, HGO has programmed six operas for the 1012-1024 season, including one world premiere that will open the year.  Intelligence is about a spy-ring run by women during the Civil War.  Composed by Jake Huggie, it brings mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton back to Houston and features the HGO initial performances of Janai Brugger; conducted by Kwamé Ryan.  October 20, 22, 28 and November 1, 3.

Verdi’s final comic opera, Falstaff, is presented and completes the fall repertoire.  Based of course on Shakespeare, this production features Reginald Smith, Jr. as the rogue and beloved Falstaff.  Conducted by Patrick Summers.  October 27, 29, and November 4, 8, 10.

Another composer’s final opera, this time Wagner’s, Parsifal returns after a thirty year absence (really hard to believe that it has been that long!). The story of a group of knights protecting the Holy Grail and trying to save their leader, Amfortas, who can only be healed by the “perfect fool” who it turns out is Parsifal,  This production is led by Tony Award – winning John Caird.  Russell Thomas is Parsifal, and international super star and HGO veteran, Christine Georke is Kundry.  January 19, 21, 27, 31, and February 4 2024.  Not to be missed!

Pucinni’s Madame Butterfly completes the winter rep.  The familiar tragic story of love and betrayal with Pucinni’s usual wonderful music, is a revival of another Tony Award winner, Michael Grandage, and stars Ailyn Pérez as Cio-Cio-San and Yonzhao Yu as Pinkerton.  Conducted by Patrick Summers.  January 26, 28, February 3, 7, 9 ,11.

The spring repertoire brings us Mozart with the immortal Don Giovanni.  Lady seducer extraordinaire Giovanni finds himself facing the ultimate vengeance from the world.  Conducted by Dame Jane Glover, Luca Pisaroni stars as Giovanni and Andriana Churchman as Donna Anna lead an international cast.  April 19, 21, 27, May 1, 3. 

Closing out the season is the always popular The Sound of Music by Rogers and Hammerstein.  The well known story of the Von Trapp family of Austria during World War 2 stars Isabel Leonard as Maria and Alexander Birch Elliott as Captain Von Trapp.  Richard Bado, HGO Chorus Master, conducts.  April 26,, 28, 30, May 4, 5, 10, 11, 12.

For more information – www.houstongrandopera.org

 

Houston Ballet

The season begins on September 8, 2023 with A Midsummer Night’s Dream set to the music of Mendelssohn and Ligeti.  September 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17. 

Next is a World Premiere by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, TUTU with music by Ravel and Stars and Stripes choreographed by George Balanchine with music by JohnPhillip Sousa.  Quite a combination. September 21, 23, 24, 29, 30, October 1. 

For the holidays, one can again expect Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker with some 33 performances (I think I counted them correctly!).  It runs from November 24 through December 27.  

February 2024 brings Cinderella with the music of Prokofiev. February 22, 24, 25, March 1, 2, 3.  

Bespoke is a mixed evening with music by Bach, Janácek and 48nord.  March 7, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17. 

Mayerling is set to the music of Liszt. May 23, 25, 26, 31, June 1, 2.

Four Seasons is the season finale and is set to the music of Tchaikovsky, Xiaogang and Vivaldi.  June 6, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16. 

For more information – www.houstonballet.org

 

Another great season of classical music and fine arts awaits us here in Houston.  I hope that this guide is helpful.

Let me continue to hear from you – classicalmusicberquist@gmail.com