As humanity once again turns its gaze toward the Moon, Apollo’s VENTURE season finale explores the enduring human drive for discovery and the often untold stories that make it possible. Rooted in the ideals of American democracy - innovation, collaboration, and the free exchange of ideas - the program centers not on missions alone, but on the individuals whose voices, labor, and resilience have shaped the course of exploration.
At the heart of the evening is the world premiere of Hidden Figures: Shared Orbit, a staged concert work by Houston composers Mark Buller and John Cornelius, developed with research and historical insight from Space Historian Jennifer Ross-Nazzal. The work interweaves the lives of Miguel Hernandez, a Cuban immigrant who served in NASA’s Mission Control, and Shirley K. Price, a pioneering Black and disabled leader who expanded access and opportunity within the agency.
Set within Houston’s identity as a global hub of innovation and collaboration, VENTURE traces a continuum from Apollo 13 to today’s lunar missions - revealing how progress depends on many voices working together to nurture democracy and propel humanity toward an interconnected future.
At the heart of the evening is the world premiere of Hidden Figures: Shared Orbit, a staged concert work by Houston composers Mark Buller and John Cornelius, developed with research and historical insight from Space Historian Jennifer Ross-Nazzal. The work interweaves the lives of Miguel Hernandez, a Cuban immigrant who served in NASA’s Mission Control, and Shirley K. Price, a pioneering Black and disabled leader who expanded access and opportunity within the agency.
Set within Houston’s identity as a global hub of innovation and collaboration, VENTURE traces a continuum from Apollo 13 to today’s lunar missions - revealing how progress depends on many voices working together to nurture democracy and propel humanity toward an interconnected future.
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Guest Artists:
Composers: Mark Buller John Cornelius Conception: Matthew J. Detrick Featured Guests: Iván Moreno, tenor Jolie Rocke, soprano Shirley K. Price, Ed.D., Equal Opportunity Specialist (NASA) and TSU Adjunct Professor Marlo Saucedo, Graphic Artist Guest Lecturer / Researcher: Jennifer Ross-Nazzal, PhD, Space Content Research Manager, Space Center Houston NASA Johnson Space Center Historian (2004–2022) |
VENTURE by Marlo Saucedo
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Mark Buller
Jolie Rocke
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John Cornelius
Iván Moreno
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Jennifer Ross-Nazzal
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Shirley K. Price
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Marlo Saucedo
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PROGRAM
Ludwig van Beethoven
String Quartet in C Major, Op. 59, No. 3
Finale
Arthur Gottschalk
Imágenes de Cuba
Intermission
Hidden Figures: Shared Orbits* (2026)
staged concert work in three acts
ACT I — ANOTHER VOYAGE
Segment I – Prelude: “Houston…” (Buller)
Segment II – Shirley K. Price: “I Sing” (Cornelius)
Segment III – Exilio (Buller)
ACT II — ASCENT
Segment IV – “What Does It Mean?” (Cornelius)
Segment V – Hacerse Americano (Buller)
ACT III — MISSION
Segment VI – Mission Control (Buller)
Segment VII – Encounters (Cornelius)
Segment VIII – La Familia / Reflexión (Buller)
Segment IX – Coda: “Still We Have a Problem” / “Se me acercó” (Buller / Cornelius)
String Quartet in C Major, Op. 59, No. 3
Finale
Arthur Gottschalk
Imágenes de Cuba
Intermission
Hidden Figures: Shared Orbits* (2026)
staged concert work in three acts
ACT I — ANOTHER VOYAGE
Segment I – Prelude: “Houston…” (Buller)
Segment II – Shirley K. Price: “I Sing” (Cornelius)
Segment III – Exilio (Buller)
ACT II — ASCENT
Segment IV – “What Does It Mean?” (Cornelius)
Segment V – Hacerse Americano (Buller)
ACT III — MISSION
Segment VI – Mission Control (Buller)
Segment VII – Encounters (Cornelius)
Segment VIII – La Familia / Reflexión (Buller)
Segment IX – Coda: “Still We Have a Problem” / “Se me acercó” (Buller / Cornelius)
VENUE INFO
