Discussion: 'Turandot' and AAPI Representation in Contemporary Opera
VIEW EVENT DETAILSSchedule
Wednesday, April 6, 2022
7 p.m. Program
Health and Safety
Considered Giacomo Puccini’s finest musical masterpiece, Turandot transports audiences to a fantasy land based on a Western conception of China. What does it mean to produce an opera like Turandot today?
Join Houston Grand Opera and Asia Society Texas for an artist-led panel around AAPI representation, inclusiveness, and equity in the opera industry. This discussion will create an open space for AAPI voices in the Houston community to talk about challenges in opera while considering a broader conversation around the future of the art form, how Asian and Asian American characters and communities are being portrayed, and opportunities to empower more diverse artists.
This program will be presented in connection with HGO's upcoming production of Turandot.
About the Panelists
A graduate of the Houston Grand Opera Studio and a student of Dr. Stephen King, Peixin Chen is recognized for his majestically resonant bass voice and for a keen dramatic instinct that he brings to a wide range of roles on the international opera stage. His repertoire spans from the comic parts of Donizetti, Mozart, and Rossini to the strong and serious roles of Puccini, Verdi, and Wagner. Peixin Chen regularly works with an illustrious array of conductors and directors including Harry Bicket, Sebastian Lang-Lessing, Lorin Maazel, Zubin Mehta, Giancarlo del Monaco, Andrés Orozco-Estrada, David Paul, Michel Plasson, David Pountney, James Robinson, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Patrick Summers, Krzysztof Urbański, and Francesca Zambello.
Immigrating to the U.S. in her early 20's, Taiwanese-American composer Shih-Hui Chen is fascinated by the narratives at the intersection of identity, culture, and tradition. In her works, she seeks to cross boundaries between music and society, between the music of distinct cultures, and between music and other art forms. Chen is the founder/director of 21C: Classical, Contemporary, and Cross-Cultural Asian Music, a performing arts festival that fosters international exchange between Asia and the U.S. through an annual series of lectures and performances. Shih-Hui Chen has worked with Philadelphia Orchestra, Cleveland Symphony Orchestra, Utah Symphony and National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra. Recognition of her work has come from institutions that include: American Academy in Rome, Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, Fulbright Scholar Program, and American Academy of Arts and Letters. She is currently on faculty at the Shepherd School of Music, Rice University.
Japanese-American conductor Eiki Isomura is in his fourth season as artistic director and principal conductor of Opera in the Heights (OH), where he has led over a hundred performances of over twenty-five operas, drawing consistent praise for elevating the company's performance standard. "The orchestra has never sounded so focused," wrote the Houston Press, "Down the line, this is ensemble playing of fine caliber... The OH chorus is ultra-fine, too, smooth and lustrous... Maestro Isomura deserves our thanks." In recent years he has served on the music staff of Opera in the Ozarks as conductor and pianist, as well as HGOco, preparing the world premieres of numerous chamber operas for Houston Grand Opera. A passionate advocate for new music, Eiki launched Opera in the Heights' first ever new works festival, featuring three world premieres in two weeks, produced in collaboration with MUSIQA and the American Center for New Works Development at Seagle Music Colony. Prior to his appointment as artistic director at OH, Eiki served as director of orchestral activities at Lone Star College-Montgomery in Conroe, TX. He currently holds a residency as guest music director of opera at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA.
Claire Liu is the Chair-Elect of Houston Grand Opera’s Board of Directors. She served as Assistant Treasurer, Corporate Finance at LyondellBasell prior to retirement in 2015. She has a wealth of experience in the corporate deal-making arena and formerly served as a corporate banker with Bank of America. Claire currently serves on the board of the Houston Zoo and is a member of its Finance Committee and serves on the Community Advisory Board for SEARCH and is a member of its Finance Committee. She also is involved in several committees at The United Way. She joined in the Houston Grand Opera Board of Directors in December 2015 and currently serves as the Finance Committee Chair and a member of the Executive Committee and Management Development Subcommittee. Claire previously served as Co-Chair of the General Director Transition Committee and a member of the COVID Working Group, both of which have since disbanded.
Chinese-American mezzo-soprano Sun-Ly Pierce is quickly distinguishing herself as an exciting communicator and artist in the opera world. During the 2021-22 season, she will debut four new roles at Houston Grand Opera: Stéphano (Roméo et Juliette) directed by Tomer Zvulun; cover Blanche de la Force and sing Sister Mathilde (Dialogues des Carmélites) directed by Francesca Zambello and conducted by music director Patrick Summers; Second Lady (Die Zauberflöte) in the Barrie Kosky and Suzanne Andrade production under the baton of Jane Glover; and Mercédès (Carmen) led by Lidiya Yankovskaya. She will also debut at Des Moines Metro Opera as Second Lady in their production of Die Zauberflöte conducted by Christopher Allen. In the 2020-21 season at Houston Grand Opera, she sang the title role in a digital presentation of Hansel and Gretel by director Lileana Blain-Cruz with original animated settings by award-winning visual artist Hannah Wasileski. Ms. Pierce also appeared as Liesl in the company's live sing-a-long event, My Favorite Things: Songs from The Sound of Music, which took place at the TDECU Stadium at the University of Houston. Scheduled appearances included Kätchen (Werther) as well as covering Angelina and singing Tisbe (La Cenerentola) before being cancelled due to the pandemic. Recent scene productions with the Houston Grand Opera Studio include excerpts of Ravel’s L’heure espagnole, Monteverdi’s L’incoronazione di Poppea, and Bizet’s Carmen.
About the Moderator
Khori Dastoor is General Director and Chief Executive Officer of Houston Grand Opera, and holder of the Margaret Alkek Williams Chair. Khori is an entrepreneurial and data-driven leader with a proven record of organizational transformation and a clear vision for the future of opera. She joins the HGO team from Opera San José (OSJ), where she served as General Director. Through her strategic vision, OSJ achieved record budget surpluses, enjoyed dramatic growth of held cash and investments, launched the nation’s first COVID relief fund for artists and musicians, established a new digital media studio dedicated solely to producing opera, distributed content to over 30 partner companies nationwide, and increased the company’s patron base to include a worldwide audience for the first time in the company’s 37-year history. She serves on the Board of Directors for Opera America where she is the co-chair of the Learning and Leadership Council and is a founding member and mentor for the Mentorship Program for Opera Leaders of Color. She also serves on the Aspen Music Festival & School Alumni Committee, is a graduate of American Express Women in Music Leadership Academy, and previously served as the San Francisco District Director of Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. Previously, Khori served as Associate Director of The Packard Humanities Institute, a private family foundation dedicated to the conservation and advancement of art, music, and archaeology.
Performing Arts and Culture programs at Asia Society Texas are presented by Syamal and Susmita Poddar. Major support comes from Nancy C. Allen, Chinhui Juhn and Eddie Allen, the City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance, Houston Endowment, and The Brown Foundation Inc. Generous funding also provided by AARP, The Anchorage Foundation of Texas, The Clayton Fund, and Miller Theatre Advisory Board. Additional support provided by the Wortham Foundation, Texas Commission on the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, United Airlines, and through contributions from the Friends of Asia Society, a dedicated group of individuals and organizations committed to bringing exceptional programming and exhibitions to Asia Society Texas Center.
Performing Arts and Culture Presenting Sponsors
Syamal and Susmita Poddar
Official Airline Sponsor
Performing Arts and Culture Program Sponsors
Presenting Partner
About Asia Society Texas
Asia Society Texas believes in the strength and beauty of diverse perspectives and people. As an educational institution, we advance cultural exchange by celebrating the vibrant diversity of Asia, inspiring empathy, and fostering a better understanding of our interconnected world. Spanning the fields of arts, business, culture, education, and policy, our programming is rooted in the educational and cultural development of our community — trusting in the power of art, dialogue, and ideas to combat bias and build a more inclusive society.
Event Details
1370 Southmore Blvd.
Houston, TX, 77004