![]() ![]() In a historic first, HGO livestreamed the opera’s opening night, attracting viewers in 34 different countries. Based on the barrier-breaking 1963 Caldecott Medal-winning children’s book by Ezra Jack Keats, the HGO-commissioned work made its world premiere at the Wortham Theater Center on Decemand enjoyed a successful nine-performance run. He wrote his acclaimed first opera, The Snowy Day, with librettist Andrea Davis Pinkney. ![]() Thompson’s compositions incorporate a wide range of influences into a sound that is uniquely his own, from Afro-Caribbean rhythms, to Black American jazz, gospel, and blues, to Rachmaninoff and Ravel. These original compositions will premiere at HGO, and advance the company’s fundamental mission of supporting the creation of relevant, vibrant new works that speak directly to this community and attract new audiences to the art form. Over the course of his five-year tenure with HGO, Thompson plans to compose a major mainstage commission, plus a set of smaller-scale original works, informed thematically by his collaborations with the people who live here. Initiatives will include forming music-based educational partnerships with schools and non-profits and identifying and mentoring homegrown composers, librettists, and other artists and creatives who, in turn, will help him forge the path forward. He will serve as a member of the company’s artistic leadership, in charge of expanding and deepening the company’s relationship with the greater Houston community. We are confident that Joel’s artistic contributions are making the world a better place, and we can’t wait to see and hear what he will do next.”Īs Composer-in-Residence for HGO, Thompson will live and work in Houston full time. “We are thrilled for Joel to be joining the artistic leadership of HGO, a company whose commitment to discovery, innovation, and excellence is well-known. ![]() “This position was created for Joel because he is one of the most brilliant minds of his generation, a transformative artist that is redefining the future of opera and expanding its reach,” states HGO General Director and CEO Khori Dastoor. ![]()
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