Item details

Date

Friday, January 23, 2026 7:30PM

Location

Brown Theater

Description

Don’t miss the Houston premiere of the Pulitzer Prize-winning 2011 opera Silent Night. HGO will present a new production of the opera, in a revised version from hit-making composer Kevin Puts, who recently debuted his The Hours to raves at the Met. Inspired by the 2005 film Joyeux Noël, this powerful portrayal of peace amidst conflict captures the real-life Christmas truce of 1914, during World War I.

The opera’s trilingual libretto, crafted by Mark Campbell, introduces us to a diverse group of characters on the front line, among them the German opera singer/soldier Nikolaus Sprink and his diva lover, Anna Sørensen; Scottish soldier Jonathan Dale and his priest, Father Palmer; and French Lieutenant Audebert, awaiting news of his son’s birth. On Christmas Eve, Sprink’s defiant caroling sparks a ceasefire, leading to an unforgettable night of shared humanity, soccer, and song.

Directed by James Robinson, this production features a superlative cast that includes acclaimed tenor Miles Mykkanen will make his HGO debut as Nikolaus Sprink, with Butler Studio tenor Michael McDermott performing the role on Feb. 4. The opera’s star-studded cast also includes soprano Sylvia D’Eramo in her company debut as Anna Sørensen; bass-baritone Ryan McKinny, baritone Iurii Samoilov, and baritone Thomas Glass as the story’s three lieutenants; and tenor Jack Swanson as the soldier Jonathan Dale. James Robinson directs, with Kensho Watanabe making his company debut at the podium.

Content Advisory: This production contains gunshot effects.