OH! So you want to check out the opera but don't have have Rockefeller money?…read more Well Opera in the Heights is your answer. I came for the last showing of Pearl Fishers, which is a traditional French Opera. We got middle balcony seats using a student discount for 10 bucks a ticket. That's a steal! The production value was great, one non changing stage, costumes remained constant also, but they were very colorful and appeasing to the eyes. The plot could been a little bit better planned and acting was eh, but the singing was superb. It's a small space so basically every seat in the house is a good view. I like the smaller intimate theaters because you feel like you are part of the show, especially when some of the singers walk up the aisles onto the stage. If $10 is too much to "TRY" out the opera, they offer a free dress rehearsal where you can can take pictures!!! I will be back for another show.

If I could give 6 stars, I would. Last night I watched Bellini's Capuletti E Montecchi, a rendition…read moreof Romeo and Juliet. I was impressed that this was actually better than the rendition of Othello we saw a month ago! Needless to say, I look forward to watching a rendition of Macbeth in February! So nice to have a cultural gem in Houston that isn't pretentious or pricey!

This place was incredibly amazing! It was very cool inside and we came to see the Hunchback of…read moreNotre Dame. They have a wine bar and a build your own pasta pot plate area that would've been good to know about before we headed off to dinner. The production was incredible. We were sat very close to the production and it was so amazing to see all the actors so close! I will say that the staff was very efficient and amazing when we came into the facility. They will call window was quick and coming to check your ticket in was also very efficient. Definitely recommend as something new and cool to do if you are in the area.

This place is designed in such a cool way. It's fun to just sit inside the lobby and stare at all…read morethe architecture. It's worth arriving a bit early to eat and drink before the show. Remember that you can't take any food inside during the performances! They can kick you out if they catch you snacking. Drinks are ok though. The only thing I dislike is panting in the underground garage. You will have to do quite a bit of walking to come up from under to enter the venue. I don't mind personally, but if your date is dolled up in heels, you may want to uber, valet park closer, or find street park in the surrounding blocks. It's a smaller stage production but they still bring companies that bring it and put on a great performance. We'll definitely be back!

Came to Houston Symphony to attend Distant Worlds. I enjoyed the performance a lot! Parking is kind…read moreof a drag but the employees did well on directing the flood of cars. What I like about this venue is that when you arrive late, they'll let you in between songs to not disrupt the performance but also not missing out. The venue in Chicago would make us wait until intermission. All the employees were super helpful and nice! Bathrooms were clean and nice. Definitely looking forwarding to seeing another performance here.

The premiere classical music symphony in the area performing in Jones Hall. Their schedule is a bit…read moreinteresting but when there's classical bangers, this will be the highest level musicianship in town. Parking is a bit annoying unless you have downtown parking. Getting in is a quick process with digital tickets

My son and I took Carey Pickens' ballet class. We had the best class ever! After searching for…read morethorough, creative, fun ballet classes throughout Houston, this is the ONLY ballet class to take. The entire class was engaging and Ms. Pickens made the experience fun. She was extremely knowledgeable about the art form itself connecting it to the human form. Greatest ballet class in Houston.

First time at the Houston ballet and I thought it was beautiful. Me and my friend purchased tickets…read morefor the '30 under 30' special ($15 each). We sat in the Grand Tier section on row A. For $15 I don't think the view was that bad. We went for the "Rock, Roll, & Tutus", I love classical ballet so it wasn't what I was expecting but it was good. Didn't really care for the tap ballet performances. It's pretty long so be prepared to sit for a long time. I'm giving it a 3 because of the RUDE customer service. Purchasing my tickets over the phone was a hassle. Secondly, me and my friend were interrupted TWICE while talking to another couple by an employee who wanted to check our tickets. We were practically followed every time we got up during intermission. The employee did not bother checking anyone else's ticket in the area which was strange. It was such uncomfortable experience!

This is a wonderful venue and host to the amazing Broadway Across America musicals each season…read more I've been here several times, both in the main Sarofim Hall and the smaller Zilkha Hall for smaller productions. You can park across the street in a paid underground garage, or if you're lucky enough to find a street parking spot, certainly grab that! The entrance has a lovely view of Downtown which has made for great pictures at the time of graduations. There have always been ample staff on my visits for musicals and they are very helpful. There's a metal detector when you enter, then two large staircases on either side that lead you up to the mezzanine and separate stairs to the gallery. There's also an elevator that services all floors. On the mezzanine level there are multiple bars, often with themed drinks for the shows. But be careful - they come with hefty price tags! The halls themselves are gorgeous. Both have nice comfortable seating and wonderful sound. The view from the gallery in the main hall can be a little difficult for making out details on the sets, but it's decent.

I recently visited the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts to see Back to the Future: The Musical…read morepresented by Theatre Under The Stars. Parking was available for $20 in the parking garage. It was raining and able to navigate to the theater without getting wet. The venue itself is beautiful, modern, clean, and well-organized. We were able to enter quickly and our tickets were scanned with no wait. From the moment we entered, everything feels organized and easy to navigate, with helpful staff throughout the theater. Our seats were in the Mezzanine section and the view of the stage was partially obstructed by the back of people's heads sitting in front of me, but still had a decent view. The acoustics were excellent and the show was a fun, high-energy experience. Restroom lines during intermission were extremely long but seemed to move quickly. They had a variety of drinks available but I didn't purchase any. The overall experience felt seamless from start to finish. Except for the parking. After the show, was stuck in the parking garage over an hour trying to exit. However, the Hobby Center is a great venue for watching a show. Would absolutely come back to watch another show!

I've had a few lessons with Dr. Bruton and he's very knowledgeable about the technicalities of…read moresinging. He is also punctual, so that was never an issue. However, there was very little opportunity to voice my own thoughts and there was much more over-explaining than actual practicing. Also, my musical interests were never considered and that plays a huge part in how one learns to vocalize. It really just felt like I was paying for a couple of strictly corrected warm-ups every lesson and that really took the fun out of singing. But if your goal is to become a great opera singer, this might be your guy!

Zach is a fantastic instructor who knows how to help you improve, not only as a singer, but as a…read moreperformer as a whole. He is not afraid to push when needed and articulates instructions well. He does a great job at helping you to understand and lean into your intrinsic talents when starting out without placing all the emphasis on the complicated technicalities of music. I highly recommend working with him!

I'm sorry Connie W. had such a bad experience the one time she came, but I would encourage people…read moreto give this place another chance. If you want to enjoy live classical music and you don't have a lot of money to burn, this venue is excellent. I have participated in music camps through the UH Moores School of Music, I've gone to many concerts here over the years, and I have never had a bad experience. Dolph W. did a great job describing the hall itself. The MSM has different strengths compared to the Rice Shepherd School of Music, but it is no less enjoyable. One of my favorite concerts they hold is the annual "Collage" performance to kick off the new school year. It is free and there is free parking in the adjacent parking lot. Every group within the department performs at least one work so you'll hear from the jazz orchestra, the symphony, the percussionists in a steel drum band, the chorale, the opera students, and even the marching band. You will not be bored. I will say that I know John Cage's 100th birthday is this year, but that was a lot of John Cage to perform in one non-Cage concert this past September. Most of the concerts are by students and faculty, but they do collaborations with local groups as well. Every summer, they hold the Texas Music Festival which recruits conservatory students from around the nation and world for an intensive music camp. Many of their faculty have been there for years. Also, I noticed they now have an online ticket system, but I had problems obtaining tickets through it so I emailed them and they responded within a day and I didn't have any problems getting them at will call.

This is a great venue for many UH-specific performances and events as well as for the larger…read moreHouston community. I attended various performances here for the music school, and was fortunate enough to recently attend an opera performance. The acoustics are very nice, and the first floor offers a wonderful view of the stage even from the back. The staff are very friendly and the ticket buying process was very easy. They scanned our tickets at entry with a QR code which was convenient. I would love to attend another opera or musical performance here. The UH choirs are also excellent and it is a pleasure to see them perform here.

I just went to see Beauty and the Beast Saturday evening, and it was amazing!! The musical was…read moresurreal and close to the original animation. My husband and I both cried because it was sentimental of how we related to the actual animated film. My only advice would be to NOT take babies or children who aren't capable of sitting still and listening to the show. The first half of the show was interrupted by a couple allowing their baby and toddler to continue to whine and repeatedly ask for her mama. After a while, the dad finally left with his baby. Naturally, it was only after attracting some attention from others that the situation became evident. We adore babies/children; however, this was not the place for them. I blame the parents for being self-centered and ignoring their baby by allowing her to whine and waiting until almost the end of the first half of the show to excuse themselves out. I wish the staff would have noticed and stepped in. They're usually vocal when it comes to food or pictures and should also pay attention to whining babies.

Wow so I finally bought some last minute tickets to see Life of Pi! The show and cast was amazing…read more The venue is located downtown and if you go see an evening event you'll get treated to a beautiful backdrop of a towering skyline full of twinkling lights. Parking in the adjacent garage is $15. Next time I will get there at least an hour prior to get lower level parking. We arrived 15 minutes prior to show time and it took us at least 10 minutes to park and walk into the performance center. And we waited for 25 minutes just to get out of the parking garage when the show was over. Lesson learned. Everyone was dressed from casual (boo) to dressy/business casual (ladies in sundresses and some had heels or little sandals and men were in slacks and dress shirts or polo shirts and some men had suits or jackets or just a buttoned down collared shirt and khakis.) Personally, I dont like to go see a performance and see people in shorts and t shirts especially on a Saturday night performance, It runs the gamut in case you're wondering "how should I dress?" Intermission offered a full bar and snacks and candy. Tickets for our seating area were $128 pp next time I'll sit closer and pay more. Overall we had a fun time!