On Saturday, January 27th, the Minnesota Opera will be presenting Jake Heggie and Terrence McNally’s beloved Dead Man Walking. The show will run through February 3rd at the Ordway Center for Performing Arts in downtown St. Paul.
This show will be the production’s premier: It was developed by stage director Joel Ivany for the Vancouver Opera, and is now heading south for a US run. The Minnesota Opera is led by Music Director Michael Christie.
The show
Based on the memoir of the same name, penned by Sister Helen Prejean and published in 1993, Dead Man Walking tells the heart-wrenching tale of Prejean’s time working at the Louisiana State Penitentiary with death row inmates, and the relationship that developed with one of them.
Since the show’s World Premier in 2000, staged the San Francisco Opera, Dead Man Walking has become the most-performed new opera of the 21st century. It has been staged internationally, with nearly 60 productions spanning 5 continents.
Prejean’s narrative has also had two live recordings, and was the inspiration for the 1995 Oscar-winning film of the same name that starred Susan Sarandon and Sean Penn.
New faces at the opera
Praised by The Washington Post for her “gorgeous, warm voice, that you want to keep listening to,” mezzo-soprano Catherine Martin will be making her Minnesota Opera debut starring as Sister Helen. A member of the Ensemble at Deutsche Oper Berlin since 2012, baritone Seth Carico will make his house and role debut as well, as death row inmate Joesph De rocher. Mrs. Patrick De Rocher, Joesph’s mother, will see the return of Emily Pulley to the Minnesota Opera for her role debut.
Performances
Sat. Jan. 27, 2018, 7:30pm
Sun. Jan. 28, 2018, 2pm
Tues. Jan. 30, 2018, 7:30pm
Thurs. Feb. 1, 2018, 7:30pm
Sat. Feb. 3, 2018, 8pm
WARNING: Dead Man Walking contains simulated cigarette smoking, gunshots, strong language, simulated nudity, and violence. Not recommended for audience members under the age of 15. Due to the graphic depiction of a sexual assault during the prologue, there will be a late seating opportunity after the first scene (approximately 7 minutes after the opera begins).
More information on Minnesota Opera production of Dead Man Walking can be found on the Minnesota Opera website.
Information above from this press release.
