The eclectic and soulful Solange Knowles is setting the stage for a homecoming performance series, bringing her visionary Eldorado Ballroom Houston to her roots. The Grammy-award winner, along with her artist collective, Saint Heron, is slated to offer six distinctive performances between June 10-20 across revered Houston venues including the historic Eldorado Ballroom, Jones Hall, and The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Eldorado Ballroom series pays homage to the pioneering Black artists while giving a platform to contemporary creators and highlighting Houston's Nigerian and African communities' artistic contributions, as CultureMap Houston reports.
The project kicked off back in 2023 at the Brooklyn Academy of Music and has since visited locations like Walt Disney Hall in Los Angeles. Now, the Eldorado Ballroom series circles back to where it all began, promising to immerse audiences in performances that celebrate Black folk, Zydeco music, Black female classical composers, devotional gospel traditions, and contemporary performance art. The line-up includes local talents, such as the Houston Symphony musicians, Houston-born Autumn Knight, Dozie Kanu, and sound selectors HYPERFEMME and Big Ace, "We’re thrilled to work with Solange and Saint Heron to present her vision right here in her hometown," Performing Arts Houston President & CEO Meg Booth conveyed per CultureMap Houston.
The first article also reveals that the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, will host two free screenings of Saint Heron’s film "Monuments are Here," a piece centering Gene “Shady the Great” Thomas of Parliament Funkadelic fame, an artist deeply rooted in the project's essence. Danielle Burns Wilson, executive director of Project Row Houses, shared her enthusiasm for Solange's return: "She is so much a part of this building's history—her creative energy has reverberated in the ballroom's air since 'A Seat at the Table'. Now, she'll be back to deepen that connection and supercharge the energy in this historic venue," as stated in a CultureMap Houston report.
Meanwhile, Solange will curate a program from within the arts series, "On Dissonance," highlighting works by Black female composers like Julia Perry and Patrice Rushen, as well as her own compositions. Another show, "Type of Guest," will highlight avant-garde performances from artists Autumn Knight and Liv.e, and "Paper in My Shoe" will bring the vibrancy of Zydeco and folk with Kara Jackson and Rosie Ledet taking the stage. These glimpses into the curated series, as noted in Dork Magazine, add a multidimensional touch to the weeklong celebration.
Starting at 10 a.m. on April 22, tickets will be available on the Performing Arts Houston website for a unique event series blending past and present art. Highlights include the orchestral performance "On Dissonance" at Jones Hall, the experimental "Type of Guest" at Eldorado Ballroom, and the closing show "Go Slow," with its location still under wraps. Since 2013, Solange has grown Saint Heron from a music platform into a full cultural institution with a studio, creative agency, library, and art gallery, as per Dork Magazine.
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