On Friday, Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church hosted Houston Grand Opera's fourth-year iteration of its "Giving Voice" concert as part of the Black History Month celebration.
KHOU 11 reported that the event highlighted performances from five choirs in the Houston area, plus opera singers. The news outlet revealed that the ensemble performed religious and pop songs.
'Giving Voice' Reaches 4th Year
Houston Grand Opera's "Giving Voice" concert is now in its fourth year. The annual concert is reportedly part of the opera group's tradition of championing "Black excellence," particularly in music.
Khoori Dastor, the general director and CEO of Houston Grand Opera, explained that this year was the first time the opera brought its musical act outside the Wortham Theater Center, where it has traditionally performed the concert.
"I know all of us in this cathedral will remember this legendary occasion for years," Dastor said in a promotional program for the event.
Dastoor added that the night served as a moment to "celebrate the towering musical achievements of the artists performing in our program."
Meanwhile, the opera said on its website that the soldout affair featured Nicole Heaston and Renee Richardson (sopranos), Lawrence Brownlee and George Shirley (tenors), and Cory McGee (bass). The five choirs from the opera's "presenting partners" also joined the ensemble. The affair also featured the HGO Chorus and Joel Thomson, the group's "Comp[oser-in-Residence."
The concert program noted that Shirley was "the first Black tenor ever to sing a leading role at the Metropolitan Opera." He was also a National Medal of Honor recipient during President Obama's administration. Shirley's career spans more than 50 years, with over 80 roles as an opera singer.
Len Cannon of KHOU 11 hosted the event on Feb. 24, from 7: 30 to 9 p.m., at Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church at 3826 Wheller Ave. The concert was free to the public.
According to KHOU 11's report, the "Giving Voice" concert was borne out of the desire of world-renowned opera performers wanting "to make classical music more diverse."
"This was to reach out to the community, to go into different churches and to connect with civic groups to show them what we do as opera singers to hopefully expand our audience but also let them know we want them to be a very important part of the opera audience and the arts community," KHOU 11 quoted Lawrence Brownlee saying.
About Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church
Its website said Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church 'believes in an all-powerful, all-knowing Creator-God who fashioned His universe, probably in the image of His own Heavenly realm.'
The church holds worship services on Sundays at 8 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Its Sunday school, meanwhile, is every 10 a.m.
Additionally, the church's Sunday school for children is every 8 a.m., while its children's church is scheduled every 11:30 a.m.
Those who wish to know more about the church may call (713) 748-5240 or visit them at 3826 Wheeler Ave. in Houston.
More from Crossmap: Symphony Church provides Freshman Discipleship event for college congregation
