HOUSTON (Nov. 11, 2020) — Continuing on the performance path that began with livestream-only performances over the summer, and expanding to include live audiences beginning in September, the Houston Symphony welcomes the holidays this year with live audiences and livestreaming access to A Baroque Christmas, as well as the yearly holiday favorite, Very Merry POPS. An annual holiday destination, the Symphony’s concerts range from traditional and classical music to popular festive songs and family-friendly Christmas music. Tickets are now available for these performances at houstonsymphony.org/2021season.
A BAROQUE CHRISTMAS
Dec. 4–6, 2020
The holiday season opens with A Baroque Christmas, a Classical Series performance that welcomes back “one of the finest baroque conductors” (London “Independent”) Nicholas McGegan. The program of Baroque repertoire includes great arias from Handel’s Messiah, including “Ev’ry Valley Shall Be Exalted,” “O thou, that tellest good tidings to Zion,” and “The trumpet shall sound.” Also, on the program is Arcangelo Corelli’s Christmas Concerto and arias from Bach’s Christmas Oratorio. McGegan leads the Houston Symphony and a starry quartet of vocal soloists from the world of opera: soprano Angela Meade, mezzo-soprano J’Nai Bridges in her Houston Symphony debut, tenor Chad Shelton, and bass Morris Robinson. This performance is livestreamed on Saturday, Dec. 5, at 8 p.m. CST for those wanting to enjoy at home during their holiday season festivities.
VERY MERRY POPS
Dec. 11–13 & 18–20, 2020
The Houston Symphony welcomes back former Principal POPS Conductor Michael Krajewski to Jones Hall to lead the cherished family tradition, Very Merry POPS, part of the Bank of America POPS Series. Returning Houston vocalist Chelsea Cymone also joins the Houston Symphony in this concert with beloved holiday tunes like “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” and “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” to get audiences in the festive spirit. The program is full of holiday songs, including an arrangement of the popular classic Christmas pop song “Feliz Navidad,” “O Holy Night,” and “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” This performance is livestreamed on Saturday, Dec. 12, and Saturday, Dec. 19, at 8 p.m. CST.
In-person and livestream tickets are now available for these performances at houstonsymphony.org/2021season. Each livestream performance is available via a private link to ticket holders for $20, and livestream subscribers who purchase a package of tickets receive an additional 25% discount. For patrons attending in person, concerts will continue to have a one-hour run time with no intermission, and food and beverage service will be suspended to eliminate crowding. For a comprehensive list of safety measures, visit houstonsymphony.org/safety. For tickets and information, please call 713.224.7575 or visit houstonsymphony.org. All programs and artists are subject to change.
The Houston Symphony’s POPS Series is sponsored in part by Bank of America, and the livestream of Houston Symphony concerts is made possible by Barbara J. Burger.
A BAROQUE CHRISTMAS
Friday, December 4, at 8 p.m.
Saturday, December 5, at 8 p.m. *
Sunday, December 6, at 2:30 p.m.
Nicholas McGegan, conductor
Angela Meade, soprano
J’Nai Bridges, mezzo-soprano
Chad Shelton, tenor
Morris Robinson, bass
VERY MERRY POPS
Friday, December 11, at 8 p.m.
Saturday, December 12, at 8 p.m. *
Sunday, December 13, at 2:30 p.m.
Friday, December 18, at 8 p.m.
Saturday, December 19, at 2:30 p.m.
Saturday, December 19, at 8 p.m. *
Sunday, December 20, at 2:30 p.m.
Michael Krajewski, conductor
Chelsea Cymone, vocalist
*Livestreamed at 8 p.m. CST
About the Houston Symphony
During the 2020–21 Season, the Houston Symphony celebrates its seventh season with Music Director Andrés Orozco-Estrada and continues its second century as one of America’s leading orchestras with a full complement of concert, community, education, touring, and recording activities. The Houston Symphony, one of the oldest performing arts organizations in Texas, held its inaugural performance at The Majestic Theater in downtown on Houston June 21, 1913. Today, with an annual operating budget of $25.8 million, the full-time ensemble of 88 professional musicians presents nearly 170 concerts annually, making it the largest performing arts organization in Houston. Additionally, musicians of the orchestra and the Symphony’s two Community-Embedded Musicians offer over 1,000 community-based performances each year at various schools, community centers, hospitals, and churches reaching more than 200,000 people in Greater Houston annually.
The Grammy Award-winning Houston Symphony has recorded under various prestigious labels, including Koch International Classics, Naxos, RCA Red Seal, Telarc, Virgin Classics, and, most recently, Dutch recording label Pentatone. In 2017, the Houston Symphony was awarded an ECHO Klassik award for the live recording of Alban Berg’s Wozzeck under the direction of former Music Director Hans Graf. The orchestra earned its first Grammy nomination and Grammy Award at the 60th annual ceremony for the same recording in the Best Opera Recording category.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Eric Skelly: 713.337.8560, eric.skelly@houstonsymphony.org
Mireya Reyna: 713.337.8557, mireya.reyna@houstonsymphony.org
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