COA Program 2026

DR S. R AC H E L A N D WARREN A. ELLS WORTH IV, C HAIRS

H O U STO N GR A N D O PERA Kh ori Dastoor

Gen eral D ire c tor a n d CE O Margaret Alkek Williams Chair

Patrick Summ ers

A r ti sti c a n d Mu sic Dire c tor

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HOUSTON GRAND OPERA AND DRS . RACHEL AND WARREN A . ELLSWORTH IV, CHAIRS WELCOME YOU TO THE 38TH ANNUAL

FRI DAY, F EB RUARY 6 , 2 0 2 6 7 P. M .

CULLEN THEATER, WORTHAM THEATER CENTER AND LIVE ONLINE VIA HGO SOCIAL CHANNELS

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WELCOME TO THE 38TH ANNUAL ELEANOR MCCOLLUM COMPETITION FOR YOUNG SINGERS, AND OUR BELOVED CONCERT OF ARIAS. Tonight’s performance—the live final round of our competition—is the culmination of a journey that began last summer, when more than 1,000 hopeful singers, each carrying their own dreams, submitted applications and audition tapes for consideration. Over the months that followed, the HGO team heard 300 of those artists in live auditions around the world before selecting 18 gifted singers from eight countries as our semifinalists.

Those semifinalists recently traveled to Houston from Poland, China, Mexico, Armenia, and beyond for live auditions with HGO staff and leadership. Tonight’s seven finalists, having distinguished themselves from among this exceptional group, have just spent a remarkable week with us, enjoying intensive coachings, rehearsals, and their first look inside this company.

This evening, after our finalists take the Cullen Stage to perform their arias with the HGO Orchestra, under the baton of Maestro Patrick Summers, we will discover how this chapter of their story ends. But, as always, this night also marks the beginning of many stories still to come.

Consider the two program alumni, soprano Mané Galoyan and baritone Thomas Glass, who will also perform this evening. Both Mané and Thomas won prizes in this very competition before joining the Butler Studio and building soaring international careers. Now they’re back in Houston to perform starring roles in our winter repertoire—as Gretel in Hansel and Gretel, and Lieutenant Gordon in Silent Night— offering a powerful testament to what can emerge from this stage.

Tonight you will witness the full cycle of talent development, from emerging voices to artists stepping into worldwide careers. As you take in the breadth of voices filling our theater, I invite you to remember something essential: we are here because of you. Your generosity, your belief in young artists, and your presence in this room make this evening possible.

More than any other night of our year, Concert of Arias brings people together in service of elevating the next generation of opera talent. And it showcases the very best of what our city can be: a place where global talent meets professional opportunity and Houstonian generosity to create something beautiful—at home and far beyond.

Thank you for being here.

Khori Dastoor General Director and CEO Margaret Alkek Williams Chair

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JOIN US FOR Houston Grand Opera’s

APRIL 11, 2026 Mr. John G. Turner and Mr. Jerry G. Fischer, Chairs Patrick Summers, Honoree

Featuring a musical moment from soprano Renée Fleming, honoring Patrick Summers

HGO.ORG/OPERABALL

JOIN US FOR A SPECIAL BUTLER STUDIO PRODUCTION

MAR 13 MAR 15 7:00 PM

WO RT H AM T H E AT E R CE N T E R ’ S CU L L E N T H E AT E R

2:30 PM

A Co-Production of Houston Grand Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, Florida State University, and Lyric Opera of Kansas City

T I C KE TS START AT $2 5! / HG O.O RG

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ME ET TH E J U DGE S KHORI DASTOOR

JULIEN BENHAMOU

HGO General Director and CEO

Guest Judge

Margaret Alkek Williams Chair

Director of Production, the Théâtre des ChampsÉlysées Casting Consultant, the Metropolitan Opera and the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence

SASHA COOKE

ANA MARÍA MARTÍNEZ

Mezzo-Soprano and Guest Judge

Soprano and Sponsor of the Ana María Martínez Encouragement Award

Co-Director, Lehrer Vocal Institute, Music Academy of the West See Cooke at HGO as Hansel in Hansel and Gretel (through Feb. 15)!

LIVESTREAM HOST

CO N DU CTOR PATRICK SUMMERS HGO Artistic and Music Director

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ERNIE MANOUSE

Houston Public Media Executive Producer and Host, Hello Houston

PROGR A M SCARLETT JONES | SOPRANO | “Dich, teure Halle” from Tannhaüser – Richard Wagner LAUREN RANDOLPH | MEZZO-SOPRANO | “O ma lyre immortelle” from Sapho – Charles Gounod MISAEL CORRALEJO | TENOR | “Fra poco a me ricovero” from Lucia di Lammermoor – Gaetano Donizetti ARPI SINANYAN | SOPRANO | “Io son l’umile ancella” from Adriana Lecouvreur – Francesco Cilèa KAYLA RAE STEIN | SOPRANO | “Come scoglio” from Così fan tutte – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart TZVI BAT ASHERAH | BASS-BARITONE | “Ves’ tabor spit” from Aleko – Sergei Rachmaninoff VIKTORIIA SHAMANSKA | SOPRANO | “Bel raggio lusinghier” from Semiramide – Gioachino Rossini

I N T E R M I S SION TZVI BAT ASHERAH | BASS-BARITONE | “Aprite un po’ quegl’occhi” from Le nozze di Figaro – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart KAYLA RAE STEIN | SOPRANO | “Sì, mi chiamano Mimì” from La bohème – Giacomo Puccini SCARLETT JONES | SOPRANO | “Embroidery in childhood” from Peter Grimes – Benjamin Britten LAUREN RANDOLPH | MEZZO-SOPRANO | “Where shall I fly?” from Hercules – George Frideric Handel VIKTORIIA SHAMANSKA | SOPRANO | “Depuis le jour” from Louise – Gustave Charpentier MISAEL CORRALEJO | TENOR | “Ah! lève-toi, soleil!” from Roméo et Juliette – Charles Gounod ARPI SINANYAN | SOPRANO | “Anch’io dischiuso” from Nabucco – Giuseppe Verdi

J U D G E S’ DE L I B E R AT ION A N D VOT I NG HOUSTON GRAND OPERA ORCHESTRA Act III Prelude from Lohengrin – Richard Wagner SARAH AND ERNEST BUTLER HOUSTON GRAND OPERA STUDIO ALUMNI MANÉ GALOYAN | SOPRANO | “Air des Bijoux” from Faust – Charles Gounod THOMAS GLASS | BARITONE | “È sogno? o realtà….” from Falstaff – Giuseppe Verdi SARAH AND ERNEST BUTLER HOUSTON GRAND OPERA STUDIO “Bevo al tuo fresco sorriso” from La rondine – Giacomo Puccini

A N N OU N C E M E N T OF W I N N E R S C E L E B R AT ION DI N N E R

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Vote!

TEXT TO

SUPPORT ONE OF TONIGHT’S COMPETITORS WITH YOUR VOTE FOR THE AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD! One vote per mobile device will be accepted. Need assistance with voting? We’re here to help! Find an HGO staff member or usher for troubleshooting.

Text CONCERT to (832) 501-0425 and follow the link to vote!

Or visit HGO.org/VOTE

THANK YOU TO OUR PRIZE SPONSORS!

connectivity issues? Access HGO’s wi-fi network.

Sponsored by Michelle Beale and

Non-placing Finalists: $3,500 each

Dick Anderson

Sponsored by Hon. Theresa and Dr.

Second Prize: $15,000

Peter Chang; Jacqueline Macha and

First Prize: $25,000

Sponsored by Kelly and Cody Nicholson

Third Prize: $10,000 Sponsored by Ms. Diane M. Marcinek

Audience Choice: $5,000 Sponsored by Jill A. Schaar and George Caflisch

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Are you experiencing

Brian Faulkner; Dr. and Mrs. Ronald Galfione; Dr. Alexandra Ikeguchi; Dr. Yin Yiu and Ron Domantay

Ana María Martínez Encouragement Award: $2,000 Sponsored by Ana María Martínez

FINALISTS S C A R L E T T JON E S ( U N I T E D K I NG D OM ) S O PR A N O Scarlett Jones is currently pursuing a Master of Music at The Juilliard School, where she studies with Darrell Babidge and is a proud recipient of the prestigious Kovner Fellowship and Higley Scholarship. Jones’s recent operatic performances include Gertrude in Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel with Juilliard Opera, Ariadne (cover) in Strauss’s Ariadne auf Naxos with Dramatic Voices Berlin, and Miss Jessel (cover) in Britten’s The Turn of The Screw, also with Juilliard Opera. Jones earned her Bachelor of Music degree from Trinity Laban Conservatoire in London under the tutelage of Eamonn Mulhall and Robert Bottriell. During her time there, she performed the title role in Errollyn Wallen’s Dido’s Ghost, as well as Waltraute in Wagner’s Die Walküre and Wellgunde in Götterdämmerung with the school’s Postgraduate Opera Scenes.

V I K TOR I IA SHA M A N SKA (UKRAINE) S O PR A N O Currently residing in Poland, Viktoriia Shamanska is a student at the Krzysztof Penderecki Academy of Music, where she studies solo singing with Prof. Dr. Hab. Agnieszka Monasterska. She has performed as a soloist with the Karol Szymanowski Philharmonic, collaborating with conductors such as José Miguel Pérez-Sierra, Alexander Humala, and Davide Levi. A laureate of numerous international vocal competitions, she was a finalist in the Stanisław Moniuszko International Vocal Competition (2025) and received honorable mention at the Ada Sari International Vocal Competition (2025), 2nd Prize at the Ars et Gloria Competition (2025), and 3rd Prize at the Antonina Campi International Vocal Competition (2024). In 2024, she trained at the Rossini Academy “Alberto Zedda” in Pesaro, where she made her debut as Corinna in Rossini’s Il viaggio a Reims during the Rossini Opera Festival. She is part of the Opera Academy in Warsaw.

A R P I SI NA N YA N ( A R M E N IA ) S O PR A N O Arpi Sinanyan received her early musical training at the Alexander Spendiaryan Music School, and later studied Academic Vocal Performance at the Arno Babajanyan College of Music and Pedagogy. In 2025, she graduated with highest distinction from the Komitas State Conservatory of Yerevan under the guidance of Professor Olga Gabayan, where she was awarded the Ghazaros Saryan Scholarship. Since 2022, Sinanyan has been a soloist in the Young Opera Program (director L. Javadyan) of the National Opera and Ballet Theatre of Armenia, performing at major venues and cultural events across Armenia and abroad. Her achievements include prizes at the Moniuszko, Klaudia Taev, Renata Tebaldi, and Città di Alcamo competitions. She made her opera house debut in Handel’s Messiah in March 2025.

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KAY L A R A E ST E I N ( U N I T E D S TAT E S ) S O PRA N O Kayla Rae Stein, a recent Master of Music graduate of The Juilliard School, is currently a Bailey Apprentice Artist with Palm Beach Opera. Last summer, she was a Renée Fleming Fellow at the Aspen Music Festival, where she performed Mimì in La bohéme, conducted

by Enrique Mazzola. Stein appeared with Juilliard Opera for Così fan tutte (Fiordiligi) and The Turn of the Screw (Mrs. Grose). She made her Lincoln Center debut in Alice Tully Hall with the AXIOM ensemble in Knussen’s Requiem: Songs for Sue. In 2024, she performed Micaëla in Carmen at Music Academy of the West, where she won second place in the Marilyn Horne Song Competition. That same year, she was a New York District winner of the Metropolitan Opera’s Laffont Competition. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Eastman School of Music and is a proud recipient of The Juilliard School’s Novick Career Advancement Grant.

L AU R E N R A N D OL P H ( U N I T E D S TAT E S ) M E ZZO -S O PR A N O Lauren Randolph is currently studying with Elizabeth Bishop at The Juilliard School, where she is a recipient of the prestigious Kovner Fellowship. In 2025, she was recognized as a National Finalist in The Metropolitan Opera’s Laffont Competition. Randolph’s recent operatic performances include Madame de Croissy in Poulenc’s Dialogues des Carmélites with Juilliard Opera and Grimgerde in Wagner’s Die Walküre with The Santa Fe Opera. In addition to operatic repertoire, Randolph is also a skilled concert soloist, having recently performed as the Soprano 2 soloist in Matthew Aucoin and Peter Sellars’s Music for New Bodies. In 2023, she debuted with the Chicago Symphony Chorus and Civic Orchestra as the Alto soloist in Bach’s cantatas 40 and 110. In December, she made her Carnegie Hall debut as the Alto soloist in Handel’s Messiah with the Cecilia Chorus of New York.

M I S A E L C OR R A L E JO (MEXICO) TENOR Misael Corralejo has been in residence at the Mexico Opera Studio (MOS) since 2024.

In 2025, he debuted as Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi and as Lauro in the opera Paso del Norte, both MOS productions. The same year, he was invited to participate as an active member of the Bel Canto Institute in San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato. He was named a Finalist in the 2025 Carlo Morelli National Vocal Competition. In 2024, he won the Mexico District Award at the Metropolitan Opera’s Laffont Competition, and in 2025, he won the Encouragement Award at the Laffont Competition in Denver. He won second prize and was a semifinalist in the zarzuela category at the 2024 Carlo Morelli National Vocal Competition and was a semifinalist and special guest at the 2024 San Miguel Opera Competition.

T Z V I BAT ASH E R A H ( U N I T E D S TAT E S ) B AS S -B A R ITO N E Tzvi Bat Asherah is currently pursuing his Master of Music degree at the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University, where he studies with Robin Rice. In spring 2026, he will be performing Ford in Rice’s production of Verdi’s Falstaff. Asherah sang in the 2025 Butler International Opera Competition and was awarded third place. Recently, he was seen in

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the title role of a concert performance of Mendelssohn’s Elijah, as the English Ambassador in John Corigliano’s The Ghosts of Versailles, and as Donner in Wagner’s Das Rheingold. Asherah was a member of the Apprentice Program for Singers at The Santa Fe Opera in 2024, where he made his professional debut as Waiter 3 in Der Rosenkavalier. He will be returning to Santa Fe for his second apprentice summer in 2026.

CONDUCTOR, LIVESTREAM HOST, AND ALUMNI SOLOISTS PAT R IC K SU M M E R S ( U N I T E D S TAT E S ) CO N D U CTO R Patrick Summers has been a central figure at HGO for over 25 years, conducting a vast range of repertoire during his tenure. First appointed in 1998 as Music Director, he became Artistic and Music Director in 2011, tasked with elevating the company’s artistic quality. Highlights at HGO include Wagner’s Ring of the Nibelungen, Tristan und Isolde, and Lohengrin; Verdi’s Requiem, Don Carlo, and La traviata; Mozart’s Don Giovanni and The Marriage of Figaro; Britten’s Peter Grimes and Billy Budd; Handel’s Saul; Puccini’s Madame Butterfly and Turandot; and premieres by Tarik O’Regan, André Previn, Christopher Theofanidis, Jake Heggie, Carlisle Floyd, Rachel Portman, Tod Machover, and Joel Thompson. He conducted Weinberg’s The Passenger at HGO and the Lincoln Center Festival. At the Metropolitan Opera, he has led Lucia di Lammermoor, Rodelinda, Salome, I puritani, and The Enchanted Island. He has enjoyed a long association with San Francisco Opera and was awarded the San Francisco Opera Medal in 2015. Selected SFO highlights include A Streetcar Named Desire, Il trittico, Moby-Dick, Dead Man Walking, and Guillaume Tell. He has appeared with the Bregenz Festival, Gran Teatre del Liceu, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Opera Australia, and guest-conducted orchestras including LA Philharmonic and San Francisco Symphony. He is Co-Director of the Aspen Opera Theater and Vocal Arts program with Renée Fleming. At the end of the 2025-26 season, Summers will step down from his current role at HGO, concluding a transformative chapter before assuming the role of Music Director Emeritus. His first novel and a volume of poetry were released in 2024.

E R N I E M A NOU SE ( U N I T E D S TAT E S ) L IVE ST RE A M H O ST Ernie Manouse returns to HGO after serving as livestream host for last year’s Concert of Arias. Manouse is an executive producer with Houston Public Media and a co-host of Hello Houston. He launched his broadcasting career with NBC News before working at Chicago radio station WLS-AM. In 1996, he joined HoustonPBS (now Houston Public Media), and as an anchor and producer, he has garnered 11 Emmy Awards, five KATIE Awards, a Houston Press Club Lone Star Award, “viewer’s choice” recognition from multiple local and regional publications, and the title of “Ultimate Interviewer” from the Houston Chronicle. As a pledge spokesman, Manouse has been instrumental in raising over $2 million annually for Houston Public Media, and his talents have helped PBS affiliates across the country raise over $100 million in support of educational outreach, broadcasting, and programming needs. He has served on numerous boards, including terms as vice president for Stages Repertory Theatre, Dominic Walsh Dance Theater, USO of Greater Houston, PRIDE Houston, and Q Fest Film Festival. Manouse has served as master of ceremonies, host, and auctioneer for myriad events. He is a graduate of Loyola University Chicago.

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M A N É G A L OYA N ( A R M E N IA ) S O PR A N O This season at HGO, Butler Studio alumna Mané Galoyan performs the role of Gretel in HGO’s mainstage production of Hansel and Gretel. She has appeared with HGO many times, including as Avis in The Wreckers (2022); Gilda in Rigoletto (2019); Confidante in Elektra (2018); Violetta Valéry in La traviata (2017); Adina in The Elixir of Love (2016); Lucy Goodman in After the Storm (2016); and Margaret Hughes in the world premiere of Carlisle Floyd’s Prince of Players (2016). She was the first-place winner in HGO’s 27th Eleanor McCollum Competition Concert of Arias, and the second-place prize winner of the 2021 Operalia competition, where she also won the Zarzuela Prize and the Rolex Audience Prize. Highlights of the 2025-26 season include Musetta in La bohème with the Metropolitan Opera, Violetta with Atlanta Opera, Sister Angelica and Lauretta in Il trittico with Deutsche Oper Berlin, Soléa in Penello’s El gato montés at the Teatro de la Zarzuela in Madrid, and in concert, the title role in Iolanta with the Opéra Orchestre Normandie Rouen. She holds two degrees from the Yerevan State Komitas Conservatory in Armenia, where she was named the 2013 winner of the President of the Republic of Armenia Youth Prize.

T H OM AS G L AS S ( U N I T E D S TAT E S ) BARITONE This season at HGO, Butler Studio alumnus Thomas Glass is performing the role of Lieutenant Gordon in Silent Night. Previously at HGO, he performed as Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet (2022); Papageno in The Magic Flute (2022); Marcello in La bohème (2019, Miller Outdoor Theatre); Alvaro in Florencia en el Amazonas (2019); Fiorello in The Barber of Seville (2018); Krupke in West Side Story (2018); Figaro in The Barber of Seville (2018, Miller Outdoor Theatre); Marcello in La bohème (2018); and Baron Douphol in La traviata (2017). In the 2024-25 season, Glass returned to the Metropolitan Opera, where he performed the role of Starbuck in Moby-Dick and covered Antony in Antony and Cleopatra. Highlights of recent seasons include house and role debuts at The Metropolitan Opera as Yamadori in Madame Butterfly; Opera Theatre of Saint Louis as the title role in Harvey Milk: Reimagined; Berkshire Opera Festival as Ford in Falstaff; Atlanta Opera as Dandini in Cinderella; and Arizona Opera as John Lassiter in Riders of the Purple Sage. Glass is the winner of the 2022 Mabel Dorn Reader Foundation Prize at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis and a Grand Prize Winner at the 2019 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. He is an alumnus of the Minnesota Opera Resident Artist Program.

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D R S . R AC HEL A ND WA R R EN A .

ELLSWORTH IV 202 6 EVE N T C HAIR S

Drs. Rachel and Warren A. Ellsworth share a passion for both healing and the arts, a combination that bridges their medical careers with their dedication to Houston’s creative community. As accomplished surgeons and devoted patrons of the arts, they embody the spirit of leadership, artistry, and service that defines Houston Grand Opera’s Concert of Arias.

Warren, a board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon, serves as Medical Director of Plastic Surgery at Houston Methodist West Hospital and holds academic appointments with both Weill Cornell Medical College and Baylor College of Medicine. As a nationally recognized leader in the field, Warren is currently the Board Vice President of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, and he recently served as President of the Houston Society of Plastic Surgeons. The son of an international opera singer and a lifelong musician himself, Warren grew up immersed in the operatic world. His musical training at the University of Virginia and the University of Oxford ultimately inspired his pursuit of plastic surgery—a field that marries art and science in equal measure.

Rachel, a double board-certified colon and rectal surgeon, trained under renowned surgeon Dr. Barbara Bass and is among the few female surgeons in her specialty in the Houston area. Known for her skill in minimally invasive and robotic techniques, Rachel leads with compassion and precision, earning recognition as a teacher, innovator, and advocate for women in medicine.

The couple met during their surgical training in Houston and, more than a decade later, share a thriving family life with their three children: Isabel, Warren V, and Eloise. Together, they continue to give back to the city that shaped their personal and professional journeys. Warren serves on HGO’s Board of Directors and chairs the Butler Studio Committee, a role that is especially meaningful, as his father was part of the Studio’s inaugural class. The Ellsworths also chaired HGO’s 2019 Opening Night Gala for Rigoletto and continue to champion numerous local arts organizations, including the Houston Chamber Choir, where Warren serves on the Board of Directors as Vice Chair.

Rachel and Warren are honored to chair this year’s Concert of Arias, celebrating the next generation of rising artists and reaffirming their belief that Houston’s artistic community is a vital force in the city’s cultural and civic life.

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EVE N T U N D ER WR ITE R S DR S . RAC HE L AND WAR REN A . ELLSWORTH IV, CHAI RS

PRESENTER

CONDUCTOR

Estate of Eleanor Searle McCollum

Christopher Bacon and Craig Miller

ORC HE S T R A PRESENTER Kathleen Moore and Steven Homer

Gudrun Becker Astley L. Blair Capgemini Hon. Theresa and Dr. Peter Chang ConocoPhillips

AWA R D S PRESENTER

Frost Bank

Houston Methodist Official Health Care Provider of Houston Grand Opera

Kirkland & Ellis LLP

STAR Ms. Marty Dudley

Claire Liu and Joe Greenberg Latham & Watkins LLP Barbara and Patrick McCelvey / Donna and Ken Barrow John P. McGovern Foundation

Dian and Harlan Stai

Michelle Beale and Richard H. Anderson/ Geraldine Gill/ Drs. Liz Grimm and Jack Roth/ Dr. Ellen R. Gritz and Milton D. Rosenau, Jr. / Hinda Simon/ Helen B. Wils and Leonard A. Goldstein

DI R E C TO R

C HO RU S

James and Molly Crownover Family Foundation / Petrello Family Foundation

Jack Bell

Drs. Rachel and Warren A. Ellsworth, IV

Teresa and José Ivo Reinnette and Stan Marek John G. Turner and Jerry G. Fischer

IMPRESARIO Anne and Albert Chao Matthew Healey Novum Energy Jill and Allyn Risley Vitol

Jeanette and John DiFilippo Stephanie D. Larsen The Evans and Portela Family USI Insurance Services Vinson & Elkins LLP Fran and Tom Callahan / Jaclyn and Tyler Goodell / Meagan and Brad Glover / Rachel and Roshan Gummattira / Ludmila and Robert Paul

M A E S T RO Sylvia Barnes and Jim Trimble Carol Byrd CAPTRUST Janet and John Carrig

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Carolyn and Ron Galfione

Regina Rogers

Sandy Godfrey

Cindi and Franklin Rose

YOUNG PROFESSIONAL

Marianne Kah

Roz and David Rowan

Roya Gordon

Marsha Montemayor

Shell

Anna Kovalenko

Mary Lee and James Wallace

Jake Stefano

Mary-Olga and John Warren

Kathleen and Richard Stout

Lori Harrington and Parashar Saika

RÉPÉTITEUR Gloria and Robert Anderson Drs. Julia Andrieni and Robert Phillips Susan Bloome Gwyneth Campbell

Rhonda Sweeney Liz Travis and Jerry Hyde Scott and Geraldina Wise

S O LO I S T Larissa Bither

Cheryl and Mike Clancy

Dr. Rodger Brown and Mrs. Jacqueline Brown

Shelly Cyprus

Kiana Caleb

Mindy and Joshua Davidson

Sarah Dong and Neil Saduka

Thomas DeNapoli and Mark Walker

Brenda Harvey-Traylor

Nancy Dunlap Drs. Ruth Falik and David Tweardy Trish Freeman and Bruce Patterson Julia and Mark Gwaltney Lynn Gissel Maureen Semple-Hirsch and Douglas Hirsch

Patricia and Edward Hymson Dr. Alexandra Ikeguchi David Jaqua and John Drewer Barbara and Blair Labatt Jacqueline Macha and Brian Faulkner Diane Marcinek

Jenny Jeong Emily and Adrian Melendez Gabriela Tantillo Ilana Walder-Biesanz and Ellen Liu

A D D I T I O NA L S U PPO RT City Kitchen Catering The Events Company

T R AV E L S P O N S O R S Thank you to Donna Saurage and Susan Saurage-Altenloh for underwriting the travel expenses of the artists participating in this year’s Eleanor McCollum Competition for Young Singers.

Indira and Jason Mills Charlene and Charles Nickson

Patricia Holmes

Susan Osterberg

Ellen and Alan Holzberg

Judy Ramsey

Alan and Glen Husak

Susan Saurage-Altenloh

Ann Kaufman

Tatiana Sorkin

Stephanie and Richard Langenstein Rita Leader Tracy Maddox and John Serpe Sara and Bill Morgan Terrylin Neale

HGO also thanks those who pledged their support after January 28, 2026

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LEADING TONE A new standard for showcasing opera’s next generation.

BY PATRICK SUMMERS, Artistic and Music Director

T

he seventh note of the musical scale is called

For many reasons, Concert of Arias is the best night of

the leading tone, and it is beautiful science:

the HGO season, but the chief reason is this: the accom-

the leading note naturally resolves a scale

plishment and enduring mystery of the human singing

for the ear, taking it back to its home. In the

voice. Think for a moment about what singing actually

famous Rodgers and Hammerstein song, “Do-Re-Mi”

is—the air of a theater, a space that is naturally silent,

from The Sound of Music, the line “tea…a drink with jam

suddenly vibrates from a sound that emanates from one

and bread” is about the leading tone.

Life has its leading tones too, those joyful moments that lead to a next career stage, and Concert of Arias offers a glimpse into an incredibly important stage of development in a gifted young artist’s professional life.

It is worth remembering that prior to their arrival for tonight’s competition, each singer you will encounter has already attained a level of accomplishment achieved by very few young artists. Tonight will help them clarify what the next part of their journey may be, which for a lucky few may be an invitation to join Houston Grand Opera’s Butler Studio. Most certainly, this night will lead them somewhere.

The presence of our wonderful orchestra (pictured at last year’s concert) reminds us, and our contestants, that opera is also an orchestral art.

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person and organically enters another, with no electronic intervention. That sound has a sonic imprint as unique as a fingerprint. In our era of highly mechanized everything, and of all kinds of artificial intelligences, singing remains one of the true natural miracles we can access.

The same is true of orchestras, who also play in natural sound, and voices inspire them—nothing changes an orchestra’s playing of Mozart, for example, more than a great singer of Mozart, while at the heart of that dialogue is the conductor, guiding how voice and orchestra speak to one another. If you ask a cellist or clarinetist what they most emulate to make the best sound on their instrument, their answer is likely—hopefully—to

have something to do with singing, because all fine

resonance is a technical skill that is acquired through

music-making aspires to vocalism. The voice is the

careful teaching and coaching, and it increases with

compass point around which all other musical points

maturity. A great deal of what’s evaluated tonight will be

turn, and this is especially true in opera, a truth that

where these artists’ voices might take them in a decade;

should be obvious, though very little in art is obvious any

they are not solely being judged on their performance

longer.

on a single evening.

Imagine trying to evaluate the skills of a professional

Opera’s greatest asset is always its greatest simulta-

swimmer by putting them in a small lap pool instead

neous challenge: it combines many arts—music and

of in the 164 feet of a 50-meter Olympic pool. For most

drama and all levels of accompanying arts—and its

of its illustrious history, and it has undoubtedly had a

history has often been crowded with those various

distinguished and long track record of success, Concert

elements vying for supremacy. The focus of Concert of

of Arias was a major operatic competition that lived with

Arias is on opera’s future singing stars, and the relation-

a major compromise: music conceived for orchestra was

ship they have—or could have—with their own voice.

rendered solely on a piano. Truly, operatic pianists are

The presence of our wonderful orchestra reminds us,

dazzling and amazing, and the pianists who have played

and our contestants, that opera is also an orchestral

Concert of Arias over the years have been stellar. But for

art stretching from Handel, to Mozart, Rossini, Verdi,

HGO to fully evaluate a singer’s career potential, they

Wagner, Massenet, Puccini, Strauss, Britten, Adams,

must be heard with opera’s central instrument: a full

and Heggie—with many fascinating stops. Music is

orchestra, which at HGO is our own wonderful Houston

only ever fully ensouled when heard as a composer

Grand Opera Orchestra.

heard it, and we hope that tonight is the leading tone

Evaluating the size of a singer’s voice must be done with

for opera’s future. 

caution and nuance, because it is not actually size that carries a singer’s voice over an orchestra, but resonance.

The HGO Orchestra’s performance at Concert of

This size/resonance paradox is true of every instrument:

Arias 2026 is generously underwritten by Kathleen

the loudest sound in any orchestra can sometimes be

Moore and Steven Homer, in honor and celebration

the foot-long piccolo, which can handily drown out the

of Maestro Patrick Summers and his profound

17 feet of tubing in a tuba, depending on the player’s

impact upon HGO.

resonance and the precise orchestration. A singer’s

CONCERT OF ARIA S

15

H G O O R C H ESTR A PATR I C K SU MME R S , ART IST I C A N D MU S I C DIR E CTO R

VIOLIN

DOUBLE BASS

CONTRABASSOON

Denise Tarrant *, Concertmaster

Dennis Whittaker †, Principal

Micah Doherty

Chloe Kim *, Assistant Concertmaster

Erik Gronfor *, Acting Principal

Natalie Gaynor*, Principal Second

Carla Clark *, Acting Assisting Principal

HORN

Deborah Dunham

Sarah Cranston *, Principal

Violin Carrie Kauk †, Assistant Principal Second Violin Hae-a Lee Barnes *, Acting Assistant Principal Second Violin Miriam Beyatsky * Rasa Kalesnykaite †

Kimberly Penrod Minson *

FLUT E

Spencer Park *

Henry Williford †, Principal

Aaron Griffin

Tyler Martin †

Jamie Leff

Monica Daniel-Barker, Acting Principal Allison Asthana

Tetsuya Lawson *, Principal

Anabel Ramirez *

Rebecca Powell Garfield

Randal Adams *

Mary Reed *

Gerardo Mata

Erica Robinson *

PI CCOLO

Linda Sanders *

Allison Asthana

Oleg Sulyga *

TROMBONE Thomas Hultén *, Principal

Sylvia VerMeulen *

OBOE

Mark Holley †

Melissa Williams *

Elizabeth Priestly Gehrke *, Principal

Jordan Milek Johnson †

Lucinda Chiu

Mayu Isom †

Cameron Kerl

Andres Gonzalez

Stanley Chyi

Brian Logan

Kana Kimura

Spring Hill

TUBA

Mila Neal Rachel Shepard

ENGLISH HORN

Emily Zelaya

Spring Hill

Mark Barton *, Principal

TIMPANI

VIOL A

CL ARINET

Eliseo Rene Salazar *, Principal

Eric Chi *, Principal

Lorento Golofeev *, Assistant Principal

Julian Hernandez

PERCUSSION

Gayle Garcia-Shepard *

Molly Mayfield

Christina Carroll, Acting Principal

Erika C. Lawson *

16

TRUMPET

Chavdar Parashkevov †

Alison Chang *, Principal

Karen Slotter

Suzanne LeFevre *

BASS CL ARINET

Matthew Weathers *

Molly Mayfield

CELLO

BASSOON

Barrett Sills *, Principal

Amanda Swain *, Principal

HARPSICHORD/CELESTA

Erika Johnson *, Assistant Principal

Quincey Trojanowski †

William Woodard

Dana Rath *

Micah Doherty

Wendy Smith-Butler *

Katia Osorio

HARP Caitlin Mehrtens *, Principal

* HGO Orchestra core musician

Chennie Sung †

† HGO Orchestra core musician on

Shino Hayashi

leave this production

Bass-baritone Sam Dhobhany joined the Butler Studio after winning the competition’s Ana María Martínez Encouragement Award in 2024.

YOU ARE AN ARTIST NOW

On the occasion of HGO’s 38th Concert of Arias, advice for young singers.

I

BY COLIN MICHAEL BRUSH, Butler Studio Director spend my life traveling around the world listening to singers. Every year I hear thousands of voices.

Sometimes I have the chance to speak with an artist afterward and share my thoughts. More often, I do not.

The reflections that follow are the truths I have observed and the guidance I wish I could give every young singer I hear. They are shaped by the many vantage points I have held inside the opera world, as a singer,

a casting manager, an artist manager and agent, and now as the Director of the Sarah and Ernest Butler Houston Grand Opera Studio.

Opera singers are artists. In that sense they stand alongside painters, dancers, actors, writers, and every other kind of creative maker. I am writing from the vantage point of opera, but these ideas apply wherever someone is trying to bring something true into the world. Art is art. The instrument changes, but the principles are the same:

CONCERT OF ARIA S

17

when someone has lived with a role, slowly and patient-

Let your technique be the vehicle of your artistry

ly, and it is just as obvious when someone has rushed.

When I listen to someone sing, I want to know technical-

Many singers prepare with a microwave mentality.

ly how well they understand their own voice. I listen for

They cram, memorize the basics, and rush through

an even sound from top to bottom, consistent support,

the process. The result is uneven. Some parts are hot

healthy production, and a clear sense that the voice is

and overdone, other parts are still frozen and unusable.

sustainable, authentically produced and not imitated.

Nothing truly settles into the body.

Technique includes acting, movement, and musicianship. Clear physical choices, a defined character arc, a

Real preparation is more like a crock pot: slow, steady,

sense of musical style—all of these shape the foundation

and consistent. Each day you work, another layer of

of the work. However, technique only matters insofar

music, text, rhythm, intention, and character sinks

as it serves the artistic expression and perspective of

deeper into your system. Over time the music is fully

the artist by bringing to life what lives in their artistic

cooked, evenly flavored, and truly embodied. That kind

imagination.

of preparation allows you to live inside the piece rather than simply stand next to it and recite.

Renée Fleming is a perfect example of the way technique and expression are tied together. She spent years in the practice room, patiently building a technique that was specific to her own instrument. She endeavored to create for herself a system that would allow maximum musical, emotional, and artistic freedom. Once her technique was solid, she could express anything she wanted. A strong technique gives you the ability to realize what lives in your imagination. Without that, the most profound artistic ideas stay trapped in your head and never breathe real life.

Be a crock pot, not a microwave You cannot fake preparation. Preparation shows motivation, discipline, and respect for the craft. It is obvious

Do not wait for permission to be an artist A common error I hear from young singers is this: I will really interpret later, once I am a professional. For now, I just need to get it right. This is a trap. You are an artist now. You do not need permission to be one if you have something to say. You do not need to wait for a contract or a title to begin embodying being an artist. The time to take ownership of your artistic perspective is quite literally now.

At the same time, you are never finished. Curiosity must stay alive for your entire career. The best artists are students forever, always striving for deeper truths, a better way to express or to tell the story. They keep

Soprano Elizabeth Hanje, a current Butler Studio artist, won first place in the competition in 2024.

18

asking how a phrase can be more true, how a choice can

That is when audiences lean forward and cannot look

be more specific, how a character can be more alive.

away.

Art is subjective. Many singers are secretly hunting for

Bring us into your world. Lean into what makes you

the one right answer and for someone to tell them they

different. Your experiences, your questions, and your

are correct. That longing for certainty can paralyze you.

way of seeing the world are your most precious resourc-

The more comfortable you become with the fact that

es. Remember the famous Oscar Wilde quote: “Be

there is no absolute right or wrong in interpretation, the

yourself, everyone else is taken.” Every time I hear an

more space opens for real artistry. People who succeed

audition, I am sincerely hoping the singer will be extraor-

are the ones who bring a clear perspective instead of

dinary. I actively hope to see something I have never

waiting to be told exactly what to do.

seen before, have this artist show me something about

Experience life, so you have something to express Art is about the human condition. You cannot say anything meaningful about life if you never truly live it.

Seek out experiences. Listen to other people’s stories.

Pay attention to lives different from your own. Nature, cities, friendships, conflict, joy, loss, boredom, tragedy, surprise—all of it becomes material for expression. You should know other art forms intimately. You should fill your eyes and ears with theater, painting, film, poetry, architecture, nature, human connections, street life, everything. The richer your inner world, the richer your work on stage.

Bring intention to every single thing you do I was deeply influenced early on by the way visual artists think about meaning, particularly the idea that every element of a work should serve a central message. In painting, each material is chosen for its relationship to the whole. Every brush stroke and color choice carries

a piece I have never conceived of before.

Remember you are building the audience of tomorrow Opera is one of the most powerful ways humans have invented to tell stories. It is intimate and enormous at the same time. It can alter how an audience feels about the human condition in a single evening. We all share the responsibility for building the audience of the future.

This work does not belong only to the companies, the press, the marketing departments. Artists who engage audiences—who make them feel, think and care—are the ones who secure the next chapter of this art form.

Do not be afraid to think differently. Many trailblazers were simply people who dared to imagine a story in a new way and then had the courage to follow that vision.

Your interpretation may be the one that unlocks the piece for someone in the audience. Think boldly. Make a real case for why your way of telling the story reveals something essential.

intention and contributes to the larger philosophical

Opera asks for full engagement of voice, body, mind,

message of the piece. If an element does not advance

and soul. When solid technique, deep preparation, a

that core, it does not belong. Beauty without meaning is

sharp mentality, rich experience, and intentional artistry

empty. A work with no underlying purpose is not really

alchemize and come together, they create something

art, it is decoration.

that can change people. That is the level you should aim for. Your perspective is your truth. Your voice is valid. Step

The same principle applies to music. Every sound,

into your work with courage and clarity. We are waiting

gesture, breath, and choice must serve something

for you to show us what only you can do. 

larger than itself. A gesture without a reason behind it looks fake. A high note or an ornament that appears only to impress is empty. But when a phrase grows from a character’s intention or need, when a gesture expresses a specific desire, when breath and body are aligned with what the person on stage wants, all of the elements begin to alchemize. The music, the text, the voice, the body, and the scenic world fuse into something larger than the sum of their parts. That is the alchemy of art.

CONCERT OF ARIA S

19

BUTLER STUDIO ARTISTS 2025–26

20

JENNY CHOO, PIANIST/COACH Dr. Laura E. Sulak and Dr. Richard W. Brown Fellow

SAM DHOBHANY, BASS-BARITONE Dian and Harlan Stai Fellow

ALISSA GORETSKY, SOPRANO Gloria M. Portela/ Susan Bloome/ James M. Trimble and Sylvia Barnes Fellow

ELIZABETH HANJE, SOPRANO Ms. Marty Dudley/ Amy and Mark Melton/ Diane Marcinek/ Jeff Stocks and Juan Lopez Fellow

GEONHO LEE, BARITONE Mr. and Mrs. James W. Crownover/ Dr. and Mrs. Miguel Miro-Quesada/ Dr. John Serpe and Tracy Maddox Fellow

MICHAEL MCDERMOTT, TENOR Michelle Beale and Dick Anderson/ Dr. Ellen R. Gritz and Mr. Milton D. Rosenau Jr. Fellow

SHAWN ROTH, TENOR Melinda and Bill Brunger/ Drs. Liz Grimm and Jack Roth/ Drs. Rachel and Warren A. Ellsworth IV/ Kathleen Moore and Steven Homer/ Sharon Ley Lietzow and Robert Lietzow Fellow

DEMETRIOUS SAMPSON, JR., TENOR Dr. Dina Alsowayel and Mr. Anthony R. Chase/ Dr. Eric McLaughlin and Mr. Elliot Castillo/ Alejandra and Héctor Torres/ Mr. Trey Yates Fellow

TZU KUANG TAN, PIANIST/COACH Shelly Cyprus Fellow

LUKA TSEVELIDZE, TENOR Donna and Ken Barrow/ Barbara and Pat McCelvey/ Irina and Andrey Polunin/ Ms. Rita Leader/ Jill A. Schaar and George Caflisch Fellow

ZINIU ZHAO, BASS Carolyn J. Levy/ Jill and Allyn Risley/ Dr. Peter Chang and Hon. Theresa Chang and Friends Fellow

Left to right: Demetrious Sampson, Jr. in Porgy and Bess; Alissa Goretsky, right (with Corinne Winters), in Suor Angelica (Il trittico); and Ziniu Zhao in Silent Night.

NURTURING TOMORROW’S STARS The best training happens onstage—and our Butler Studio artists are shining across HGO’s 2025-26 season.

The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess Demetrious Sampson Jr. – Sportin’ Life Elizabeth Hanje – Strawberry Woman Sam Dhobhany – Undertaker Tzu Kuang Tan – Assistant Coach

Puccini’s Il trittico Shawn Roth – Song Seller, Il tabarro Alissa Goretsky – Young Lover, Il tabarro/Nursing Sister, Suor Angelica

Kevin Puts and Mark Campbell’s Silent Night Michael McDermott – Nikolaus Sprink Ziniu Zhao – French General Sam Dhobhany – British Major Elizabeth Hanje – Madeleine Audebert Tzu Kuang Tan – Assistant Coach

Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel Alissa Goretsky – Dew Fairy

Floyd’s Of Mice and Men Sam Dhobhany – George Milton Demetrious Sampson, Jr. – Lennie Small Alissa Goretsky – Curley’s Wife Shawn Roth – Curley Ziniu Zhao – Candy Geonho Lee – Slim Michael McDermott – Carlson Luka Tsevelidze – Ballad Singer Jenny Choo – Assistant Coach Tzu Kuang Tan – Assistant Coach

Michael McDermott – Young Lover, Il tabarro

Jenny Choo – Assistant Coach

Elizabeth Hanje – First Alms Sister, Suor Angelica

HGO Family Day, Hansel and Gretel

Handel’s Messiah, arr. Mozart

Alissa Goretsky – Gretel

Tzu Kuang Tan – Assistant Coach

Geonho Lee – Marco, Gianni Schicchi

Demetrious Sampson, Jr. – The Witch

Ziniu Zhao – Maestro Spinelloccio, Gianni Schicchi

Elizabeth Hanje – Gertrude

Rossini’s The Barber of Seville

Sam Dhobhany – Notary, Gianni Schicchi

Geonho Lee – Peter

Alissa Goretsky – Berta

Jenny Choo – Assistant Coach

Geonho Lee – Fiorello

Jenny Choo – Assistant Coach

Sam Dhobhany – Officer Jenny Choo – Assistant Coach

CONCERT OF ARIA S

21

PA ST WI N N ER S 1989

Eric Perkins

1st Place

2000

1990

Mark Oswald Bradley Garvin Jennifer Jones Roy Cornelius

1st Place 2nd Place 2nd Place 2nd Place

Barbara Quintiliani Joshua Winograde Anna Christy Anna Christy

1st Place 2nd Place 3rd Place A.C.

2001

1991

Patricia S. Johnson Arturo Valencia Kelly Anderson

1st Place 2nd Place 3rd Place

Janette Zilioli Kristine Winkler Katherine Rohrer Janette Zilioli

1st Place 2nd Place 3rd Place A.C.

1992

Mary Dunleavy Yvonne Gonzales Anita Krause

1st Place 2nd Place 3rd Place

2002

Laquita Mitchell Marjorie Owens Nicholas Phan Laquita Mitchell

1st Place 2nd Place 3rd Place A.C.

1993

Margaret Lattimore Zheng Cao Olga Makarina

1st Place 2nd Place 3rd Place

2003

1994

Ana María Martínez Alicia Berneche Stephanie Blythe

1st Place 2nd Place 3rd Place

Arturo Chacón-Cruz Jennifer Black Jennifer Root Arturo Chacón-Cruz

1st Place 2nd Place 3rd Place A.C.

2004

Helen Todd Gabriel González Juárez Nicole Heaston Nicole Heaston

1st Place 2nd Place 3rd Place A.C.

Heidi Stober Alexander Tall Kyle Albertson Corey Bix Alexander Tall

1st Place 2nd Place 3rd Place 3rd Place A.C.

2005

Monique McDonald Joyce DiDonato Misha Royzen Arturo Rodriguez

1st Place 2nd Place 3rd Place A.C.

Tamara Wilson Jordan Bisch Ryan McKinny Liam Bonner

1st Place 2nd Place 3rd Place A.C.

2006

Karen Henrikson Alfred Walker III Jennifer Davison Tiffany Jackson Tiffany Jackson

1st Place 2nd Place 3rd Place 3rd Place A.C.

Maria Markina Alicia Gianni Cortez Mitchell Alicia Gianni

1st Place 2nd Place 3rd Place A.C.

2007

Chen-Ye Yuan Alexandra Deshorties Troy Cook Chen-Ye Yuan

1st Place 2nd Place 3rd Place A.C.

Faith Sherman James J. Kee Jamie Barton James J. Kee

1st Place 2nd Place 3rd Place A.C.

2008

Michael Maniaci Kyle Ketelsen Twyla Robinson Kyle Ketelsen

1st Place 2nd Place 3rd Place A.C.

Caitlin Lynch Joélle Harvey Octavio Moreno Caitlin Lynch

1st Place 2nd Place 3rd Place A.C.

2009

Rachel Willis-Sørensen Catherine Martin Michael Sumuel Jung Nan Yoon Nathaniel Peake

1st Place 2nd Place 3rd Place 3rd Place A.C.

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

22

2010

Anthony Roth Costanzo Devon Guthrie Boris Dyakov Anthony Roth Costanzo

1st Place 2nd Place 3rd Place A.C.

2011

Mark Diamond Thomas Florio Lauren Snouffer Adam Lau

1st Place 2nd Place 3rd Place A.C.

Andrea Carroll Natalya Romaniw Peixin Chen Andrea Carroll

1st Place 2nd Place 3rd Place A.C.

2013

Thomas Richards Sydney Mancasola Sarah Larsen Sydney Mancasola

1st Place 2nd Place 3rd Place A.C.

2014

D’Ana Lombard Amanda Woodbury Sofia Selowsky Amanda Woodbury

1st Place 2nd Place 3rd Place A.C.

2015

Mané Galoyan Chris Bozeka Federico De Michelis Yongzhao Yu Yongzhao Yu

1st Place 2nd Place 3rd Place A.M.M.E.A. A.C.

Madison Leonard Zoie Reams Alexandra Razskazoff Yelena Dyachek Sol Jin

1st Place 2nd Place 3rd Place A.M.M.E.A. A.C.

2017

Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen Nicolette Book Thomas Glass Siphokazi Molteno Siphokazi Molteno Geoffrey Hahn

1st Place 2nd Place 3rd Place A.M.M.E.A. A.C. O.V.C.

2018

Leia Lensing Dorothy Gal Lindsay Kate Brown Liv Redpath Liv Redpath Leia Lensing

1st Place 2nd Place 3rd Place A.M.M.E.A. A.C. O.V.C.

William Meinert William Guanbo Su Nicholas Newton Yunuet Laguna Elena Villalón Katherine DeYoung

1st Place 2nd Place 3rd Place A.M.M.E.A. A.C. O.V.C.

2012

2016

2019

2020

Sun-Ly Pierce Cory McGee Angel Romero Tatiana Carlos Angel Romero Laureano Quant

1st Place 2nd Place 3rd Place A.M.M.E.A. A.C. O.V.C.

2021

Key’mon W. Murrah Eric Taylor Emily Treigle Ángel Vargas Brittany Olivia Logan

1st Place 2nd Place 3rd Place A.M.M.E.A. A.C.

2022

Navasard Hakobyan Amanda Batista Jongwon Han Olivia Smith Jongwon Han Olivia Smith

1st Place 2nd Place 3rd Place A.M.M.E.A. A.C. O.V.C.

2023

Natalie Lewis Demetrious Sampson, Jr. Michael McDermott Gabrielle Turgeon Demetrious Sampson, Jr. Natalie Lewis

1st Place 2nd Place 3rd Place A.M.M.E.A. A.C. O.V.C.

2024

Elizabeth Hanje Ziniu Zhao Alissa Goretsky Sam Dhobhany Jazmine Saunders Jouelle Roberson

1st Place 2nd Place 3rd place A.M.M.E.A. A.C. O.V.C.

2025

Geonho Lee Luka Tsevelidze Lauren Carroll Daria Lupu Geonho Lee

1st Place 2nd Place 3rd Place A.M.M.E.A A.C.

A.C. — Audience Choice A.M.M.E.A. — Ana María Martínez Encouragement Award O.V.C. — Online Viewers’ Choice

CONCERT OF ARIA S

23

WITH APPRECIATION 2025–26 Butler Studio Fa cul ty & Staf f

2025–26 Butler Studio Committee

Con cer t of Arias 2026 Produc tion Staf f

Colin Michael Brush, Director Sponsored by Christopher Bacon and Craig Miller, Mr. Jack Bell, Lynn Gissel, and Lynn Des Prez

Robin Angly

Lighting Designer Michael James Clark

Maureen Zoltek, Music Director Mr. and Mrs. Albert B. Alkek Chair

Patrick Carfizzi

Kiera Krieg, Butler Studio Manager

Lynn Des Prez

Stephen King, Director of Vocal Instruction Sponsored by Jill and Allyn Risley, Janet Sims, and the James J. Drach Endowment Fund

Dr. Warren A. Ellsworth IV, Chair

Peter Pasztor, Principal Coach Sponsored by the Mr. and Mrs. James A. Elkins Jr. Endowment Fund

Brenda Harvey-Traylor

Nicholas Roehler, Assistant Conductor

Marianne Kah

Madeline Slettedahl, Assistant Conductor

Richard Leibman

William Woodard, Assistant Conductor Nadya Mercado, Butler Studio Intern Christa Gaug, German Instructor Enrica Vagliani Gray, Italian Instructor Sponsored by Marsha Montemayor

Melinda Brunger

Molly Crownover

Lynn Gissel Sandy Godfrey Dr. Ellen R. Gritz

Steve Homer

Stephanie Larsen

Carolyn J. Levy Tracy Maddox Beth Madison Amy Melton Miguel Miro-Quesada Valerie Miro-Quesada

Neda Zafaranian, English Instructor

Kathy Moore

Brian Connelly, Piano Instructor

Charlene Nickson

Mo Zhou, Showcase Director and Guest Acting Faculty

Gloria Portela

Alley Theatre, Acting Instruction

Jill Risley

Stephen Neely, Dalcroze Eurhythmics Instructor

Dr. Jack A. Roth

Tiffany Soricelli, Finance Instructor Nino Sanikidze, Russian Diction Coach Margo Garrett, Guest Coach Warren Jones, Guest Coach Hemdi Kfir, Guest Coach Thomas Lausmann, Guest Coach

24

Michelle Beale, Vice Chair

Allyn Risley

John Serpe Janet Sims Dian Stai Harlan Stai John G. Turner Bob Wakefield Trey Yates

Director of Operations & Institutional Projects Christopher Staub Video Direction Ben Doyle Livestream Production BEND Productions Stage Manager Caitlin Farley Assistant Stage Manager Annie Wheeler Supertitles Alexa Lietzow Program Editors Ashlyn Killian, Catherine Matusow Program Designer Chelsea Crouse

A B O UT TH E BUTL E R STU DIO The Eleanor McCollum competition is a crucial recruitment tool for the Sarah and Ernest Butler Houston Grand Opera Studio, one of the most highly respected and prestigious young artist programs in the world. Since 1977, the Butler Studio has served young singers and pianist/coaches who have completed their academic training and are preparing to embark on full-fledged operatic careers. Each year after an exhaustive international search, a hand-selected group of the most exceptionally talented individuals is brought here to Houston to work on the mainstage and in recital alongside the best in the business at Houston Grand Opera. During a residency of up to three years, each performer collaborates with an expert team while gaining invaluable experience at the highest professional level. Alumni of the Butler Studio perform at the best opera houses around the world—and internationally renowned artists such as Joyce DiDonato, Jamie Barton, Ana María Martínez, Ryan McKinny, and Tamara Wilson still regularly return to their home stage at HGO. For many, the Butler Studio is just the beginning of a lifelong relationship with the company.

Butler Studio Suppor ters The Sarah and Ernest Butler Houston Grand Opera Studio is grateful for the underwriting support of Mrs. Estela Hollin-Avery, Ms. Marty Dudley, Ms. Stephanie Larsen, and Mr. and Mrs. Richard J. Langenstein. The Butler Studio is also thankful for the in-kind support of the Texas Voice Center and for the outstanding support of the Magnolia Houston hotel.

Additional support for the Butler Studio is provided by the following funds within the Houston Grand Opera Endowment, Inc.:

The Gordon and Mary Cain Foundation Endowment Fund Marjorie and Thomas Capshaw Endowment Fund James J. Drach Endowment Fund

Elva Lobit Opera Endowment Fund Marian and Speros Martel Foundation Endowment Fund Erin Gregory Neale Endowment Fund

The Evans and Portela Family Fund

Dr. Mary Joan Nish and Patricia Bratsas Endowed Fund

Carol Lynn Lay Fletcher Endowment Fund

John M. O’Quinn Foundation Endowed Fund

William Randolph Hearst Endowed Scholarship Fund

Shell Lubricants State Company Fund

Jackson D. Hicks Endowment Fund Charlotte Howe Memorial Scholarship Fund

Mary C. Gayler Snook Endowment Fund Tenneco, Inc., Endowment Fund Weston-Cargill Endowed Fund

CONCERT OF ARIA S

25

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