Susannah

Brown Theatre, Houston, USA

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7:30 PM

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US$ 150

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Ticket delivery: E-Tickets

E-tickets: Print at home or at the box office of the event if so specified. You will find more information in your booking confirmation email.

Can I choose my seats?

You can only select the category, and not the exact seats.
If you order 2 or 3 tickets: your seats will be next to each other.
If you order 4 or more tickets: your seats will be next to each other, or, if this is not possible, we will provide a combination of groups of seats (at least in pairs, for example 2+2 or 2+3).

Important Info

Type: Opera

City: Houston, USA

Starts at: 19:30

Intervals: 1

Duration: 2h

Sung in: English

Titles in: English

Ticket delivery: E-Tickets

E-tickets: Print at home or at the box office of the event if so specified. You will find more information in your booking confirmation email.

Can I choose my seats?

Cast

Performers

Conductor: James Gaffigan

Soprano: Angel Blue

Tenor: Aaron Blake

Tenor: Bille Bruley

Chorus: Houston Grand Opera Chorus

Orchestra: Houston Grand Opera Orchestra

Baritone: Rod Gilfry

Bass: Ziniu Zhao

Creators

Composer: Carlisle Floyd

Director: Patricia Racette

Overview

A deeply American masterpiece, Susannah, launches HGO’s 2026-27 season, continuing the company’s centenary celebration of opera icon Carlisle Floyd. Set in the hills of Tennessee and inspired by Floyd’s own roots as a minister’s son, the story follows Susannah, a young woman whose life is shattered after she’s seen bathing in a creek by church elders, leading to cruel gossip, judgment, and finally, her harrowing assault. Shared through a genre-blending score infused with revival hymns and Appalachian folksong—and a libretto, also by Floyd, written in colorful regional dialect—the opera will be presented in a new staging from celebrated soprano-turned-director Patricia Racette. Soprano Angel Blue, an international sensation, makes her role debut as Susannah, with leading baritone Rod Gilfry as the Reverend Olin Blitch and rising tenors Bille Bruley and Aaron Blake as Sam and Little Bat. Maestro James Gaffigan conducts.

History

Susannah is a powerful American opera by Carlisle Floyd set in rural Tennessee. The story explores innocence, religious fanaticism, public judgment, and personal tragedy within a tightly controlled community.

Synopsis

Susannah Polk lives with her brother Sam in a small Tennessee community dominated by strict religious values. During a church gathering, several women see Susannah bathing in a creek and accuse her of sinful behavior. Gossip quickly spreads throughout the town.

Reverend Olin Blitch arrives to lead a religious revival and pressures Susannah into confessing her “sins.” Isolated and rejected by the community, she struggles to defend herself against false accusations.

As the situation intensifies, Susannah’s life is permanently damaged by public shame, manipulation, and hypocrisy. The opera ends in tragedy and emotional devastation, exposing the destructive power of fear and collective judgment.

Venue Info

Brown Theatre - Houston
501 Texas Ave, Houston, TX 77002

The Brown Theatre is one of the two theatres located in the Wortham Theater Center in downtown Houston, TX.

The Brown Theatre is one of the two theatres located in the Wortham Theater Center in downtown Houston, TX. It is a 2,405-seat venue that hosts primarily opera and large ballet productions by two resident companies: the Houston Ballet and the Houston Grand Opera. The Center opened in 1987 and features a glass entry archway and Helen Hayes Chandelier. It is known for its unique acoustical features called “frying pan pods” which enable music to flow through the pods into sections of the opera hall that wouldn’t be considered good listening areas under other circumstances. Despite its size, no seat is more than 138 feet from the stage.

Important Info

Type: Opera

City: Houston, USA

Starts at: 19:30

Intervals: 1

Duration: 2h

Sung in: English

Titles in: English

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