It was in 2020 that HGO hosted its first-ever Giving Voice concert, the company’s wonderful annual celebration of Black artists in opera and song, conceived by leading tenor Lawrence Brownlee.

Now the beloved event, presented with partners throughout the Houston community, is entering its seventh year. Don’t miss this inspiring evening of music, history, and unity, headlined by some of the biggest names in opera. Giving Voice 2026 will be presented by HGO in partnership with The Fort Bend Church.

Soloists performing at Giving Voice include stunning mezzo-soprano J’Nai Bridges, who performed the role of Lucinda in HGO’s 2023 world-premiere opera Intelligence, which has been nominated for a 2026 GRAMMY Award for Best Opera Recording; revered baritone Donnie Ray Albert, whose many roles at HGO include Porgy in the company’s iconic 1976 production of Porgy and Bess and Lord Capulet in Romeo and Juliet in 2022; sought-after bass-baritone Michael Sumuel, whose recent HGO roles include Porgy in the company’s record-breaking fall 2025 production of Porgy and Bess and Sharpless in another blockbuster, Madame Butterfly in 2024; and Tyler Martin, an award-winning flutist and member of the HGO Orchestra.