Houston Grand Opera launches its own recording label and new partnership with London Symphony Orchestra

Houston Grand Opera has announced plans to release recordings on its own, newly created label, in partnership with the London Symphony Orchestra’s label LSO Live.

According to a press release, “HGO sought out a partnership with the LSO to fulfill the company’s ambitious vision of sharing its work with audiences around the world.” HGO says that this collaboration, LSO Live’s first-ever with a U.S. opera company, represents a significant opportunity to advance operas by American composers on a broader international scene.

“For decades, HGO has led the way in building the American repertoire through new commissions from the country’s finest composers,” said Khori Dastoor, HGO General Director and CEO, in a statement.

“We founded the new Houston Grand Opera label because we want more people to experience these incredible artworks, performed by the brilliant artists and musicians who grace our stage each season. With its award-winning label and rich legacy of inspiring global audiences, the London Symphony Orchestra is the ideal partner to help bring Houston’s operatic innovation to the world,” Dastoor said.

Set for an August 2025 release, Intelligence, by composer Jake Heggie and librettist Gene Scheer, will be the first album in the new collaboration between Houston Grand Opera and LSO Live— featuring soprano Janai Brugger, mezzo-soprano J’Nai Bridges, mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton, baritone Michael Mayes, and the HGO Orchestra conducted by Kwamé Ryan.

Intelligence, which was commissioned by HGO and which made its World Premiere in 2023, is inspired by the true story of Mary Jane Bowser, an enslaved woman who became a spy for the Union during the American Civil War, and Elizabeth Van Lew, a member of the Confederate family who enslaved Bowser and who ran the spy ring.

Other forthcoming albums include:

• Breaking the Waves, by composer Missy Mazzoli and librettist Royce Vavrek, captured during HGO’s spring 2025 regional premiere

• El Milagro del Recuerdo, the HGO-commissioned mariachi opera by composer Javier Martínez and librettist Leonard Foglia, recorded during its 2019 world premiere

• Florencia en el Amazonas, by composer Daniel Catán and librettist Marcela Fuentes-Berain, commissioned by HGO in 1996 and inspired by the magical realism of Gabriel García Márquez, in a recording from the company’s 2019 revival starring soprano Ana María Martínez

“We are incredibly excited to partner with Houston Grand Opera on their new record label,” said Becky Lees, LSO Live Director, in a statement.

“LSO Live is committed to supporting arts organizations around the world in delivering high-quality content to music enthusiasts internationally, and this partnership aligns perfectly with our mission,” Lees said. “We look forward to working closely with HGO to preserve and celebrate the rich tradition of opera for future generations.” 

Intelligence and Breaking the Waves will be released in both physical and digital formats. Florencia en el Amazonas and El Milagro del Recuerdo will be available via streaming and download platforms, including Apple Music Classical, Amazon, and Spotify.