The Celebration

Families gathered at the St. Regis Houston for The Armadillo’s Tea to celebrate the launch of Houston Grand Opera’s (HGO) first children’s book, The Armadillo’s Dream. Based on a Bolivian folktale, the picture book was written by Dennis Arrowsmith, Touring Programs Manager of HGOco, and illustrated by Eduard Hakobyan. Commissioned by HGO, the whimsical tale about an armadillo who dreams of singing with the company, was underwritten by the CKW (Connie Kwan-Wong) Foundation and published by CKW Publishing. Connie Kwan-Wong chaired the charming event.

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The Story

Filled with the sight and scent of flowers, the elegant venue presented the perfect palette for Sunday afternoon tea. Dainty sandwiches and a sweet selection of desserts accompanied cups filled with the hot beverage.  Carleen Graham, Director of HGOco, explained that The Armadillo’s Dream is part of HGOco’s Storybook Opera program, in which a singing storyteller will bring a picture book to life for students from pre-K to second grade.

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The Moments

The festivities began with a Bubbly and Book Signing during which guests had their complimentary copies of The Armadillo’s Dream signed by the author. While tea was being enjoyed, Dennis Arrowsmith delighted everyone with a reading of his book, which was followed by a special excerpt performance of HGOco’s Cinderella in Spain. Connie Kwan-Wong and her four-year-old daughter Zoe graciously thanked everyone for coming and for supporting HGO.

All proceeds from the tea go to HGOco.

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Pre-order book sales were taken at the event and will be wonderful gifts for the holiday. Book sales are also live on the HGO website: https://www.houstongrandopera.org/armadillosdream

 

About Houston Grand Opera and HGOco

Houston Grand Opera (HGO) is one of the largest and most acclaimed opera companies in the United States. In fulfilling its mission to advance operatic art to serve an ever-evolving audience, HGO has led the field in commissioning new works and in training and nurturing promising young artists and administrators. Its pioneering community engagement initiative, HGOco, has served as a model for other arts organizations.