Carlisle Floyd’s ‘Susannah’ will open Houston Grand Opera’s 2026-27 season
Cory Weaver
Not even Tony, Emmy, and Grammy Awards wins can stop a force of nature from aiming higher. That’s the case with the Houston Grand Opera which, on Wednesday afternoon, announced its upcoming 2026-27 season, themed “Written in the Stars.”
The season will open on Oct. 23 with Carlisle Floyd’s “Susannah,” which tells the the story of a young woman whose life is shattered after she’s seen bathing in a creek by church elders. It runs through Nov. 8. Floyd had deep ties to Houston, where lived and worked from 1976 to 1996, and with the HGO, with whom he co-founded the Butler Studio.
Where: Wortham Theater Center, 501 Texas
Details: Subscriptions for the 2026-27 season are available to audiences starting today at HGO.org, with single tickets available starting June 16, 2026.
That will be followed by: Charles Gounod’s “Faust” (Oct. 30-Nov. 15), a reimagining of the cautionary tale of a desperate man who makes a fateful pact with Mephistopheles; Giuseppe Verdi’s “Aida” (Jan. 22-Feb. 7, 2027), a depiction of love, betrayal, and sacrifice set to the Romantic Italian style; Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s “The Magic Flute” (Jan. 29-Feb. 14, 2027), the family friendly production that will blend black-and-white storybook sets, puppetry and visual gags; Richard Strauss’s “Der Rosenkavalier” (April 23-May 7, 2027), involving a man whose heart and conscience is torn between several objects of his affection; and Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II’s “Show Boat” (April 30-May 16), which was groundbreaking in its debut for a racially integrated cast and not-so-subtle commentary about life on the Mississippi River.
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This season is one that CEO and general director Khori Dastoor believes will serve the historical importance of the 71-year-old institution while still providing a guiding light for the company, and the art form’s, future.
“This season is really a celebration of arrival for Houston Grand Opera that shows we can hold our own, shoulder to shoulder, with the greatest opera houses of this whole world and attract and engage artists of the highest caliber,” Dastoor said.
Further explaining the thought process behind the season theme and the chosen productions, Dastoor tied together local flavor with HGO’s overarching goals and an insatiable desire to always dream bigger.
“[Houston is] Space City. We are a city that is super ambitious about quality. This is, for me, a theme that’s been building and growing over the years. We can both have the best people in the world come to Houston and to our stages, and we can support the development of tomorrow’s stars. We can create work that shifts the culture and have global impact. It’s a celebration of that kind of galactic reach that we are always pushing for.”
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With growth, change is inevitable. In this case, it takes the form of a passing of the baton from conductor Patrick Summers into the hands of conductor James Gaffigan, who will assume the role of music director designate before becoming music director during the 2027-28 season. Summers will remain as the music director emeritus and holder of the Robert and Jane Cizik Music Director Emeritus Chair.
HGO is not letting Summers leave without giving him his flowers.
“This season, we’re saying thank you for Patrick’s decades of service, and he’s fully supportive of us moving HGO into the future and into the dawn of this new era for the company, both artistically and musically,” Dastoor said. “Patrick will always be in our constellation of stars and always be supporting and part of the family.”
In a season that is embracing a cosmic aspiration, some things will remain Earth-bound and regionally focused. While the multiple award-winning organization has generated international attention, it doubles down on its commitment to making access to the arts a daily commitment, starting in Houston’s own backyard.
Maintaining a constant through-line, the nonprofit will continue to take its work beyond the stage and into the greater Houston area for all to experience. And in some of the cases, attendance will cost one of the most affordable prices: free. It also is doubling down on its commitment to growing budding musicians.
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For example, Opera-To-Go takes 45-minute performances into the community (think of schools, libraries and community gathering spots) to introduce youth to the arts. The Eleanor McCollum Concert of Arias provides an annual opportunity for emerging talents to vie for cash prices and a chance to earn international recognition. Bridging those two, the HGO’s Young Artist Vocal Academy serves as a training ground where youth can hone their voices and stage presence to become the stars of tomorrow.
“Houston does what it does best,” Dastoor said. “It wraps its arms around these young people. It makes them feel welcomed. It provides financial support for them that can be life changing, and then if they’re one of the lucky few who are invited to join our prestigious apprenticeship program, they’re provided all the language instruction and resources to launch them to international superstardom.”