Houston Performing Arts Collection

Collection

Identifier: THR/01/2024.s285

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This collection includes a book published by the Houston Ballet in 1987 to commemorate the opening of the city's Wortham Center. It contains biographical information about the Ballet's Artistic Director, Ben Stevenson, and Music Director, Glenn Langdon, as well as the principal and soloist dancers of the inaugural season. It has full color images of each dancer posing in costume, including Rachel Jonell Beard, Li Cunxin, Lauren Anderson , and Mary Mckendry.

Also included is a publication from the Houston Grand Opera commemorating 20 seasons of performances from inception in 1955 to the early 1970s. It contains biographical information on the association and it's leaders, performances, and notable performers. It has back and white images of performers and performances with descriptive information.

Dates

Creation: 1970 - 1987

Conditions Governing Use

The materials represented in this finding aid have been made available for research, teaching, and private use. For these purposes, you may reproduce (print, make photocopies, or download) these items without prior permission on the condition that you provide proper attribution of the source in all copies.

Please contact the Newton Gresham Library's Special Collections and University Archives department to request permissions to reproduce materials for any other purpose, or to obtain information regarding the copyright status of a particular digital image, text, audio, or video recording.

Biographical / Historical

The Houston Ballet (1969-) has its origins in the Houston Ballet Academy, which was established in 1955 under the leadership of Tatiana Semenova, a former dancer with the Ballets Russes. In 1969, the Houston Ballet Foundation formed a professional ballet company under the direction of Nina Popova, also a former dancer with the Ballet Russes and the American Ballet Theatre. From 1976–2003, Ben Stevenson, a former dancer with Britain's Royal Ballet and English National Ballet, served as artistic director of Houston Ballet. Under Stevenson's leadership, the ballet transformed "from regional to international prominence.” He served as director during the Ballet’s inaugural season at the Wortham Center, which was built entirely on private donations totaling $70.8 million.

The Houston Grand Opera, founded in 1955 by German immigrant Walter Herbert, and Houstonians Elva Lobit, Edward Bing, and Charles Cockrell, resides at the Wortham Theater Center along with the Houston Ballet. Over its long history and many talented artists, the Grand Opera has recieved a Tony Award, Grammy Awards, and Emmy Awards, the only opera company to have all three of these awards. It's first two performances were Salome starring Brenda Lewis and Madama Butterfly starring Nancy Swinford Blackburn.