Solange Knowles is returning home to Houston with a deeply personal and community-rooted project that honors the legacy of Black artistry through a multidimensional series titled Eldorado Ballroom Houston. Presented in collaboration with Performing Arts Houston and Project Row Houses, the series unfolds across six evenings of programming at venues including Jones Hall, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, and the historic Eldorado Ballroom in Houston’s Third Ward.
The project marks a full-circle moment for Knowles and her multidisciplinary studio, Saint Heron. After debuting a sold-out iteration of Eldorado Ballroom at Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) in 2023, and later expanding the vision to Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, Solange now brings the experience to its namesake venue. As described by The New York Times, “with a little luck, Houston may have its own Eldorado Ballroom soon, too.” That time is now.
Each evening presents a distinctive curatorial lens, intertwining classical music, experimental performance, gospel, zydeco, and future-forward sounds that spotlight the influence of the African diaspora on Houston’s cultural terrain. From honoring Black women’s transformative roles in symphonic music to celebrating gospel legends and Black Southern electronic music, Eldorado Ballroom Houston is both homage and innovation. Artists include soprano Zoie Reams, Autumn Knight, Liv.e, Kara Jackson, Rosie Ledet, Twinkie Clark and The Clark Sisters, and acclaimed Houston-based DJs such as HYPERFEMME and Big Ace.
In one of the series’ anchoring moments, Saint Heron will present two free screenings of Monuments Are Here—a film meditation on the sacred nature of collecting and storytelling—at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Written by Solange and directed by Nuotama Bodomo, the short premiered at The Guggenheim and continues Saint Heron’s commitment to preserving Black cultural memory.
Dozie Kanu, a Nigerian-American artist and Houston native, will also contribute to the series with an interpretive sculptural installation inspired by Parliament-Funkadelic’s Mothership Connection—Live from Houston (1986), extending the themes of Afrofuturism and sonic lineage.
Meg Booth, Performing Arts Houston President & CEO, said of the partnership: “Collaborating with Solange, Saint Heron, and Project Row Houses to shine a light on the Eldorado’s legacy of inspiring Black creativity and community with so many great artists is an enormous honor.”
Danielle Burns Wilson, Executive Director of Project Row Houses, echoed the sentiment, noting Solange’s deep connection to the space. “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.”
With Eldorado Ballroom Houston, Solange continues her career-long commitment to artistic experimentation, community investment, and cultural preservation. Tickets open to the public on April 22, 2025, with early access available now to Performing Arts Houston Visionary Members.
For details and tickets, visit performingartshouston.org/eldorado.