HOUSTON, TX - Houston Grand Opera mounts a spirited new production of Verdi's La
Traviata to mark the conducting debut of HGO's new Music Director, Patrick Summers.
Christopher Alden, the director of HGO's world premiere of Harvey Milk, has a fanciful and
post-modem production in store for Verdi's examination of Paris' late- 19th century male
dominated society and its celebrated "demimonde." Fresh from her Metropolitan Opera triumph
as Violetta, American soprano Patricia Racette makes her HGO debut in the same role.
Mexican tenor Ramon Vargas, who returns to HGO as Alfredo Germont, is joined by Russian
baritone Vassily Gerello in his HGO debut as Giorgio Gerinont. Houston Opera Studio
members soprano Tiffany Jackson, mezzo-soprano Stephanie Novacek, tenor Chad Shelton,
baritones Scott Hendricks and Chen-Ye Yuan, and basses Derrick Parker and Christopher
Scott Feigum round out the cast as Annina, Flora Bervoix, Gastone, Baron Douphol,
Commissioner/Flora's Servant, Marquis d'Obigny and Doctor Grenvil respectively.

As befits the occasion of its new music director's debut, Houston Grand Opera has
pulled out all the stops with this new production of La Traviata. Maestro Summers, who arrives
from his critically acclaimed Metropolitan Opera debut, joins director Alden, set designer Paul
Steinberg, costume designer Constance Hoffman, and lighting designer Adam Silverman, in a
stunning interpretation of the Verdi masterpiece. Alden, who assisted Jean-Pierre Ponnelle in his
powerful 1978-79 production of La Traviata for HGO, will create a dream-like and sometimes -
nightmarish world in his explorations of the 19th-century Parisian cafe society. Music Director
Patrick Summers will conduct the Houston Symphony for all performances. La Traviata is a
co-production with the New Israeli Opera, Tel Aviv.

La Traviata opens on Friday, February 5, 1999 at the Wortham Center's Brown Theater.
Additional performances are scheduled for February 7m, 10, 13, 16, 19 and 21, 1999. Evening
performances begin at 7:30 p.m. and matinees at 2:00 p.m..
Four performances, February 11, 13m, 18, and 20, 1999, will feature an alternate cast
including American soprano Juliana Rambaldi as Violetta, American tenor Richard Troxell as
Alfredo and American baritone Lester Lynch as Giorgio.

NEW PRODUCTION OF LA TRAVIATA

Based upon Alexandre Dumas' play La Dame aux Camelias, Verdi's La Traviata had its
premiere at the Teatro la Fenice in Venice on March 6, 1853. Now one of the most popular
operas in the standard repertoire, La Traviata was received coldly by the public and the critics at
its premiere and was withdrawn by the composer. After revisions Verdi remounted it
successfully in 1854 at the Teatro Gallo di San Benedetto in Venice.

The story deals with the 19th-century practice of the demimonde, in which rich, socially
prominent men lavishly supported mistresses outside of their proper homes and marriages. It
was in these settings that they socialized with artists, musicians, actors, and all manner of
decadent eccentrics. In La Traviata, Violetta Valery (Patricia Racette), a consumptive Parisian
courtesan, mistakenly thinks she can choose the love of Alfredo Gertnont (Ramon Vargas) over
her carefree lifestyle. After leaving Paris to live in the country with Alfredo, Violetta is forced
to end the relationship at the bullying insistence of Alfredo's father, Giorgio Germont (Vassily
Geretio), who declares that the scandal is ruining his family's social position and endangering
Alfredo's sister's upcoming marriage. Violetta selflessly relents and returns to her former
lifestyle. Alfredo refuses to return home with his father and resolves to find Violetta. In the end,
as Violetta succumbs to her disease, the two are reunited and Alfredo realizes that Violetta
sacrificed herself in order to save him.

Creative Team--

HGO MUSIC DIRECTOR PATRICK SUMMERS
MAKES HIS CONDUCTING DEBUT LEADING THE HOUSTON SYMPHONY

Conductor Patrick Summers, who recently received acclaim for his conducting of Rigoletto, Guillaume Tell, Carmen and L 'Incoronazione di Poppea for San Francisco Opera, Madama Butterfly and Iphigenie en Tauride for Australia Opera, and La Boheme for Seattle Opera, is currently conducting Die Fledermaus for the Metropolitan Opera. Maestro Summers, who conducted numerous performances of Andrd Previn's A Streetcar Named Desire in San Francisco, will conduct HGO's world premiere of Tod Machover's Resurrection later this season, and is scheduled to conduct the world premiere of Jack Heggie's Dead Man Walking for San Francisco Opera in the fall of 2000. In addition to making his Met and HGO debut this season, Maestro Summers conducted Norma at the San Francisco Opera and will return to the Australia
Opera for Rinaldo.

Christopher Alden's new production of La Traviata rounds out Houston Grand Opera's winter repertory

One of America's most innovative stage directors, Christopher Alden directed HGO's world premiere of Harvey Milk and the 1979-80 production of Madame Butterfly. Mr. Alden, who has created productions for opera companies throughout the world, began the 1998-99 season with a production of 11 Trovatore in Belgium. Last season he mounted L 'Italiana in Algeri for New York City Opera, The Mother of Us All for Glimmerglass Opera and L 'Incoronazione di Poppea for San Francisco Opera, which was conducted by HGO Music Director Patrick Summers. Other credits include the American premiere of Reimann's Ghost Sonata and The Tales of Hoffmann for San Francisco Opera, Madame Butterfly for New Israeli Opera, Don Giovanni for Seattle Opera, and Don Pasquale for Opera Theatre of St. Louis.

Set designer Paul Steinberg's work was seen at Houston Grand Opera in Harvey Milk-. He also designed sets for L 'Incoronazione Di Poppea for Bavarian State and Welsh National Operas, which was broadcast on the BBC, Lohengrin for Opera Bastille, Otello and Falstaff for Cologne Opera, The Girl of the Golden West and Il Trovatore for the Flemish Opera, Madame Butterfly, Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci for New Israeli Opera, Turandot for the Welsh, English and Scottish National Operas, Paul Bunyan for Glimmerglass Opera and New York City Opera, which was broadcast on Live From Lincoln Center, Partenope for Glimmerglass and New York City Opera, and The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny for Chicago Lyric Opera. Mr. Steinberg teaches stage design at New YorK University's Tisch School of the Arts.

Constance Hoffman designed the costumes for HGO's production of The Flying Dutchman. Other opera credits include Madame Butterfly, Lizzie Borden and Paul Bunyan for Glimmerlgass Opera, Rigoletto for San Francisco Opera, Julius Caesar at Virginia Opera and Mahagonny Songspiel and The Tsar Has His Photograph Taken at The Manhattan School of Music. Her New York theater credits include Henry VI, Parts 1, 2, and 3 at The Public Theatre and The Green Bird, Titus Andronicus, Measure For Measure and Henry VI, Parts 1, 2, and 3 at Theatre For A New Audience.

Lighting Designer Adam Silverman, who is making his HGO debut, has lit Die Fledermaus, Macbeth, Eugene Onegin and The Merry Widow for Opera Ireland, La Traviata for New Israeli Opera, Der Rosenkavalier for the Seattle Opera, Giasone for the Spoleto Festival and Faust for Welsh National Opera. Mr. Silverman's Theater credits include the Off-Broadway production of Alan Arkin and Elaine May's Power Plays, Bartholomew Fair for the Royal Shakespeare Company, As You Like It for the Shakespeare Theatre, Washington, DC and the premiere of Beauty and the Beast for the Young Vic in London.

Cast --
Soprano Patricia Racette (Violetta Valery), who is making her HGO debut, was the 1998 winner of the prestigious Richard Tucker Award. Ms. Racette has been dominating the headlines of the opera world since starring in Santa Fe Opera's world premiere of Tobias Picker's Emmeline, which was telecast on PBS--Great Performances. Last season, she appeared in Peter Grimes and Tales of Hoffmann at the Metropolitan Opera, where she returned this season to sing Violetta to critical acclaim and for a gala concert celebrating Luciano Pavarotti's 30th season with the company; she returns in January for a gala in tribute to Placido Domingo. Other credits include Emmeline with New York City Opera, William Tell with San Francisco Opera and Washington Concert Opera, and La Traviata with Opera Bastille and Santa Fe Opera, La Boheme with the Royal Opera, and Turandot with the Welsh National Opera. Ms. Racette has also appeared at Vienna State Opera and Grand Theatre de Geneve. Concert appearances include the Stabat Mater with the San Francisco Symphony and Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 with the Houston Symphony.

Ramon Vargas (Alfredo Germont) is one of today's most highly acclaimed tenors, having appeared at the Metropolitan, La Scala, Vienna State Opera and the Opera Bastille. Mr. Vargas was just seen in the title role of HGO's fall production of The Tales of Hoffmann. Bom in Mexico City, Mr. Vargas made his Metropolitan Opera debut in 1992 as Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor opposite June Anderson and made his La Scala debut in 1993 as Fenton in Falstaff conducted by Riccardo Muti. Since then, Mr. Vargas, who recently won notices for Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor at the Met, has also appeared there in Rigoletto, The Barber of Seville and La Cenerentola, opposite Cecilia Bartoli. Mr. Vargas recently appeared at the Royal Opera in La Traviata, Los Angeles Opera in The Elixir oflove, English National Opera in Rigoletto, Opera Bastille in La Traviata and Vienna State Opera in Lucia di Lammermoor. This season, he returns to Los Angeles Opera for the title role in Werther. His discography includes Faistafffor Sony Classics, Otello for EMI, Zaira for Nuova Era and Tancredi for BMG.

Baritone Vassily Gerello (Giorgio Gennont) is a member of the Mariinsky Theatre (formerly Kirov) in St. Petersburg, where his roles have included Germont in La Traviata, Valentin in Faust, Pastor in Khovanshchina, Napoleon in War and Peace, Pantalone in The Love of Three Oranges, Balearalz in Salammbo, Tomsky and Yeletsky in Queen of Spades, Posa in Don Carlo, Venetian Guest in Sadko and Robert in Iolanta. Outside of the Mariinsky, Mr. Gerello has appeared in The Barber of Seville at the Netherlands Opera, Simon Boccanegra and Giulio Cesare at the Opera Bastille, Simon Boccanegra at London's Royal Opera, Eugene Onegin at the Canadian Opera Company, Pique Dame at Teatro Colon, and Cavalleria Rusticana and Pique Dame at the Metropolitan Opera. Last season, he appeared at Vienna State Opera in The Barber of Seville, La Traviata at the Netherlands Opera, Betrothal in a Monastery at the Metropolitan Opera and La Forza-del Destino at the Mariinsky Theatre.

The Southwestern Bell Pre-Curtain Lecture Series takes place thirty minutes before each
performance. Guest speakers present a twenty-minute informal lecture on the sixth floor of the
Grand Foyer. These lectures, free and open to all ticket holders, are intended to enhance
audience members' enjoyment by preparing them for the production they are about to attend.
The Wortham Theater Center features easy wheelchair access to both theaters. An
infrared listening system, generously underwritten by Pennzoil Company, is available and free of
charge at all performances. Please call the subscription office at 713-546-0246 or 1-800-346-
4462 for details. Descriptive services for visually impaired persons are also available with
48-hour advance reservations. Please call the Education and Outreach Department at 713-546-
0232 for information or to make a reservation.

Single tickets for La Traviata, priced from $20 to $175, are available by phone at
713/227-ARTS, out-of-town at 1-800-828-ARTS or in person at both Houston Ticket Center
locations (the ticket lobby at the Worthain Theater Center and courtyard level at Jones Hall) and
at all TicketMaster outlets. Ticket prices do not include a $1 city surcharge.
Texaco Foundation is the corporate guarantor for La Traviata.

WHO:

HGO will mount a stunning new production of La Traviata for the conducting debut of HGO's new Music Director, Patrick Summers. La Traviata examines the Parisian male-dominated society
that creates and then destroys its most celebrated "demimonde." Christopher Alden, the
director of HGO's world premiere of Harvey Milk, has a fanciful and post-modem
production in store for Verdi's mid-19th century opera. Mexican tenor Ramon Vargas
(the title character in HGO's fall production of The Tales of Hoffman) will sing Alfredo,
the young man infatuated with Violetta. Also making their HGO debuts are American
soprano Patricia Racette (Violetta) and Russian baritone Vassily Gerello (Giorgio
Gerrnont). Alden is joined on the production team by set designer Paul Steinberg (Harvey
Milk), costume designer Constance Hoffman (Tlie Flying Dutchman) and lighting
designer Adam Silverman. HGO Music Director Patrick Summers will conduct the Houston Symphony for all performances.
Four performances will feature an alternate cast: American soprano Juliana Rambaldi as
Violetta, American tenor Richard Troxell as Alfredo, and American baritone Lester
Lynch singing the part of Giorgio.

WHAT: La Traviala is a co-production with New Israeli Opera, Tel Aviv

WHEN: Opening night Friday, February 5, 1999 at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, February 7, 1999 at 2:00 p.m.
Wednesday, February 10, 1999 at 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, February 11, 1999 at 7:30 p.m. (Alternate cast performance)
Saturday, February 13, 1999 at 2 p.m. (Alternate cast performance)
Saturday, February 13, 1999 at 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, February 16, 1999 at 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, February 18, 1999 at 7:30, p.m. (Alternate cast performance)
Friday, February 19, 1999 at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, February 20, 1999 at 7:30 p.m. (Alternate cast performance)
Sunday, February 21, 1999 at 2:00 p.m.

WHERE: The Brown Theater at Wortham Center, Texas Avenue at Smith Street, Houston

ARTISTS:

Conductor, Patrick Summers. Director, Christopher Alden. Set Designer, Paul Steinberg. Costume Designer, Constance Hoffman, Chorus Master, Richard Bado. Lighting Designer, Adam Silverman.

Violetta Valery......................Patricia Racette, soprano, United States

Alfredo Germont...................Ramon Vargas, tenor, Mexico

Giogio Germont.....................Vassily Gerello, baritone, Russia

Flora Bervoix.........................Stephanie Novacek, mezzo-soprano, United States

Alternate Cast Members

Violetta Valery......................Juliana Rambaldi, soprano, United States

Alfredo Germont...................Richard Troxell, tenor, US

Giogio Germont.....................Lester Lynch, baritone, Russia

LANGUAGE: La Traviata will be sung in Italian with English surtitles

TICKETS: Single tickets for La Traviata, priced from $20 to $175, go on sale January 3, 1999. (Prices do not include the $1.00 city surcharge.) Ticets are available by phone at 713-227-ARTS3 Out of town callers can phone 1-800-828-ARTS. Tickets can also be picked up in person at both Houston Ticket Center locations (the ticket lobby at the Wortham Theater Center or at courtyard level at Jones Hall) and at all TicketMaster outlets. Tickets for High School Night at the Opera go on sale on Tuesday, December 1, 1998 at 9:00am and are available by calling 713-546-0230.

HOUSTON GRAND OPERA

510 PRESTON HOUSTON,TEXAS 77002-1594

(713)546-0200 FAX:(713)228-4355