Opening Weekend: Ravel’s Daphnis and Chloe

Conductor Juraj Valčuha is recognized for his effortless expressiveness and depth of musicianship. With sharp baton technique and natural stage presence, the impressive ease of his interpretations translate even the most complex scores into immersive experiences. His profound understanding of composer and score, taste, and naturally elegant style make him one of the most sought-after conductors of his generation.

One of today’s most sought-after lyric coloratura sopranos, Erin Morley’s performances have garnered worldwide critical acclaim. Recent engagements include Pamina in a new production of Die Zauberflöte, Sophie in Der Rosenkavalier, and the title role in the premiere of Matthew Aucoin’s Eurydice, all at the Metropolitan Opera; Gilda in Rigoletto at the Wiener Staatsoper and the Staatsoper Berlin; Zerbinetta in Ariadne auf Naxos for her Teatro alla Scala debut; Norina in Don Pasquale at Glyndebourne Festival; Morgana in a tour of Alcina with Les Musiciens du Louvre; Poulenc’s Gloria with the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra; Orff’s Carmina Burana with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Andris Nelsons, and Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Riccardo Muti. Future plans include her debut at the Royal Opera House as Gilda as well as her debut as the Chief of Police and Venus in a new production of Le Grand Macabre at Bayerische Staatsoper.  

Her many recordings include Sophie in the Met’s Grammy-nominated Der Rosenkavalier on DVD/Blu-Ray for the Decca label; Sandrina, La Finta Giardiniera with Emmanuelle Haïm in Opéra de Lille’s production for the Erato label; Woglinde, Götterdämmerung in the Metropolitan Opera’s Grammy Award-winning Lepage Ring Cycle for Deutsche Grammophon; Marguerite de Valois, Les Huguenots, live from Bard SummerScape for the American Symphony Orchestra; Carl Nielsen’s Symphony No. 3 “Espansiva” with Alan Gilbert and the New York Philharmonic for Da Capo Records; and Sylvie in Gounod’s opéra-comique La Colombe with Sir Mark Elder and The Hallé Orchestra for the Opera Rara label. 

A recipient of the Beverly Sills Award and a graduate of the Metropolitan Opera’s Lindemann Young Artist Development Program, Erin received her undergraduate degree from the Eastman School of Music, her master of music voice degree from The Juilliard School and artist diploma from the Juilliard Opera Center in 2007. Awards include First Prize in the Jessie Kneisel Lieder Competition in 2002, First Place in the Licia Albanese–Puccini Foundation Competition in 2006, and the Richard Tucker Career Grant in 2013. 

The Houston Symphony Chorus is one of Houston’s oldest and most distinguished musical organizations.

Over the years, the Chorus has sung with dozens of the world’s most notable conductors, including Andrés Orozco-Estrada, Steven Reineke, Michael Krajewski, Robert Shaw, André Previn, Leopold Stokowski, Christoph Eschenbach, Sir John Barbirolli, Ferenc Fricsay, Lawrence Foster, and Hans Graf, to name only a very few.

In addition to performances in Jones Hall, the Symphony’s home venue, the Chorus has also delighted audiences in various concert halls throughout the United States, Europe, and Mexico.

Recent reactions to its performances include:

Classical/Chorus: “…beautifully balanced, modulated sound that seamlessly blended with the orchestra.”
—Review of A German Requiem, Houston Chronicle, May 8, 2018

Classical/Chorus: “… the chorus was magnificent.”
—Review of Stabat Mater, Houston Chronicle, September 27, 2018

The Chorus consists entirely of volunteer singers who have considerable musical skill, vocal talent, and choral experience. They audition for placement each year.  The Chorus performance schedule is possibly the busiest in the country, consisting of up to fourteen different sets of repertoire for a total of 45 concerts.