Houston Grand Opera to Present Rossini’s The Barber of Seville
Company to stage fan-favorite comedy in seven mainstage performances including a special Mother’s Day show, running Apr. 24 to May 10
TheHouston Grand Opera (HGO) will open Rossini’s The Barber of Seville, presented in a colorful, inventive production created by Joan Font, Founding Director of Barcelona-based company Comediants. The opera will bring three high-profile HGO debuts, from GRAMMY Award-winning baritone Will Liverman; Houston-raised, internationally celebrated mezzo-soprano Daniela Mack; and conductor Gemma New, Artistic Advisor and Principal Conductor of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.
The Barber of Seville follows the story of the dashing Count Almaviva, who is captivated by the mysterious Rosina but thwarted in his pursuit by her pompous old guardian, Dr. Bartolo, who plans to marry her himself. Seeking to get close to the cloistered beauty, the Count enlists the help of the scheming barber Figaro and his clever tricks, leading to a series of elaborate disguises, intercepted letters, and outrageous mix-ups before true love triumphs at last. Propelling the action is Rossini’s lively score, from the iconic overture to Figaro’s rapid-fire “Largo al factotum.”
The Apr. 30 performance of The Barber of Seville is Pride Night, a festive evening honoring Houston’s LGBTQIA+ community. The May 8 performance is Noche de Ópera, a celebration of HGO’s annual Hispanic and Latin American cultures and communities, with offerings including supertitles in both English and Spanish. The May 10 matinee is a special Mother’s Day performance, with families invited to celebrate during an art and culture-filled day out downtown. In addition to the opera’s seven mainstage performances, the company will host one High School Night performance on Apr. 28.
The Barber of Seville runs for three hours, including one intermission. It is sung in Italian, with projected English translations.
This raucous production is headlined by a superlative cast, including baritone Will Liverman in his HGO debut as Figaro; tenor Jack Swanson, who received his master’s degree from the Shepherd School at Rice University, as Almaviva; mezzo-soprano Daniela Mack—who was born in Buenos Aires but raised in Houston, attending the Awty International School—in her company debut as Rosina; and baritone Alessandro Corbelli, a Rossini specialist, as Dr. Bartolo. Joan Font directs, with Gemma New, principal conductor of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, making her company debut at the podium.
Tickets range from $25 to $210. For more information and to buy tickets, visit HGO.org or call the Box Office at 713-228-6737. Students with a valid student ID may purchase $25 tickets one month prior to the opening of every performance; see HGO.org/tickets.
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. The label’s first release, which captured the 2023 world premiere of company-commissioned opera Intelligence, won the 2026 Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording. 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, three Grammy awards, and three Emmy awards. It is the only opera company to win all three honors.
