OPERA

Texas and California 7-Elevens have been blasting classical and opera music at people loitering outside the stores, hoping to deter the homeless population to camp out elsewhere.

Houston Newsmakers: Barbara Bush’s ‘A Celebration of Reading’ event returns for 28th year

Houston Life Reporter Lauren Kelly joins us live from Rice University’s brand new opera hall. She will show us what it takes to stage an opera performance. Kelly will show us the wigs and costumes, and she will get on stage with performers. The entire Houston community is invited April 9 for a tour, but you and your family can get a preview Thursday on Houston Life.

HOUSTON – Renowned soprano, Nicole Heaston, is one of the most important local voices in opera and a frequent Houston Grand Opera collaborator. “It’s a performance that Houston Grand Opera puts on and I’m co-hosting with Larry (Lawrence) Brownlee, that has all African American singers, and we’re singing standards, opera. I sang gospel music, I sang spirituals, but once I got into high school, my music teacher said, ‘You’re an opera singer and you’re a soprano,’ because I’ve been singing alto. And I said, ‘Black people don’t sing opera,’ and she said ‘Yes, they do,’’ remembered Heaston. Giving Voice 2021 is available to stream for free on the Houston Grand Opera’s website, now through Feb. 21.

DETROIT – When one thinks of the opera, images of a parking garage are unlikely to come to mind, but some unexpected creativity during the pandemic allowed people to experience the opera from their vehicle. This proves it: When you can’t pack people into a theater, you find another way to perform. Michigan Opera Theatre opened its season in late December this way. Each act performed on a different level of the opera house garage. Watch nextREAD: Michigan Opera Theatre names Yuval Sharon new artistic director

Reinventing opera at the Met Bob Simon reports on the Metropolitan Opera's mission: to make opera as popular -- and populist -- as it once was.