NYT | JAVIER C. HERNÁNDEZ

Patrick Summers, Veteran Opera Conductor, to Step Down in Houston

Patrick Summers, a veteran conductor who over the past 26 years has helped turn Houston Grand Opera into one of most innovative companies in the United States, will leave his post in 2026, the company announced on Wednesday.

Summers, 61, Houston Grand Opera’s artistic and music director, said he was eager for a change and felt he was leaving the organization in a strong position.

“I love the company and the work that we’ve done here,” he said. “But I realized it’s time to make space for a new generation.”

Summers has played an important role in introducing new operas into the American canon.