Big changes coming for Houston Grand Opera and the UH Opera Theater

Lights for the buildings downtown can be seen as the sun sets Sunday, Sept. 14, 2008 in Houston. Houston, a fast-paced metropolis that churns on industries like oil, medical research, space technology and law, was dragged to a near halt by Hurricane Ike. But unlike its coastal suburbs, it was more inconvenienced than devastated. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

While the Houston sports scene has the buzz of the Astros’ playoff run, the Texans’ injury struggles, and the Rockets’ opening their season under new ownership, passionate fans of another sort are awaiting the opening of their season. The Houston Grand Opera starts its season at the George R. Brown Convention Center, while the University of Houston opens its opera season at the Moores Opera Center on campus.

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Floodwaters from Hurricane Harvey caused extensive damage to downtown Houston’s Wortham Center, the home of the Houston Grand Opera company. The group scrambled to find a new home in time for its season opening performance of “La Traviata” on October 20, eventually adapting some of the space at the massive convention center.


RELATED: Houston Grand Opera Moves To George R. Brown Convention Center

The performance space will include 1,500 bleacher seats and 250 premium floor seats in Exhibit Hall A. Without an orchestra pit in the new location, the musicians and conductor will be moved behind the stage. The new performance hall will also feature improvements to the acoustics in the normally-cavernous hall, including a shell designed to push the sound of the music and singers toward the audience.

One adaptation that HGO has made to accommodate audiences in the new space is the addition of portable toilets along the edges of the seating space. This addition promises to alleviate lines and help audiences get back to their seats during the 15-minute intermission.

RELATED: Houston’s Wortham Theater Center Closed Until May 2018 for Recovery

Meanwhile, the University of Houston is also launching its new opera season, also on October 20, with Prokoviev’s “The Love for Three Oranges.” The school’s website cites the story as “part fairy tale, part vaudeville, and part circus.” The UH company previously performed this opera in 2003, and the opera has been among their most requested revivals.

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