This past weekend was the MN Opera premier of Jake Heggie’s “Dead Man Walking,” a new opera (the world premiere of which was given on October 7, 2000 at the War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco) based on the memoir of Sister Helen Prejean of the religious Congregation of Saint Joseph. This is the same memoir that would go on to inspire the Oscar Award-winning movie of the same name starring Susan Sarandon (Prejean) and Sean Penn (De Roche) and directed by Tim Robbins. And now, it has masterfully been adapted for the operatic stage by composer Heggie and librettist, Terrence McNally.
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| Photo: Cory Weaver |
Prejean’s story, according to the MN Opera website, “recounts her courageous struggle to provide spiritual guidance to a condemned Louisiana murderer in the months leading up to his execution.” The first serious opera of the season—having been preceded by such lighter, comical works as Don Pasquale and Le Nozze di Figaro (see my review here)—this production delivers a superbly dramatic and intense performance. Emotions run high in what is successfully a non-polemical work, despite its being set around the controversial act of capital punishment. Rather than focus on polemics, McNally manifests a creative and artistic approach that explores and highlights the internal struggles and emotional rigors of the victims as well as the accused. It is here wherein the conflict lies: how do the characters face their own demons within, their own anxieties, their own fears? And, will they come out the victor?
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| Photo: Cory Weaver |
American mezzo-soprano Catherine Martin delivered a phenomenal performance, showing off a well-refined technique as well as her pure vocal stamina… and stamina is the word for it. The opera runs 2 hours and 58 minutes long, and Martin is present on stage for about 2 hours and 57 minutes of it. Okay, maybe not that much, but she does sing, speak, and act a sizeable portion of the work. Thankfully, she comes to Minnesota having sung the role on at least two previous occasions (according to her bio): Washington National Opera (2016-2017) and Dayton Opera (2014-2015). So, she understands and executed well the pacing needed for such a demanding role.
Regarding our leading man, Opera News hailed bass-baritone Seth Carico as “powerful in both voice and bearing” and particularly noted his commanding stage presence and expressive vocalism. Though vocally he is most definitely capable, Carico shown brightly this past weekend in his acting. In fact, much of the cast are to be commended for their skills as actors and actresses, especially, Texas soprano, Emily Pulley. Pulley’s performance of the spoken and sung sections of “The defendant's mother, Mrs. Patrick De Roche” and the aria “Joe, my Joe, is not a bad boy” was the emotional highlight of the night, yes, even over a captivating and finely-acted execution scene by Carico.
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| Photo: Cory Weaver |
All this being said, the production could use some attention to the pairing of American soprano, Karen Slack with Martin. Their duets suffered at times in that there seemed to be little to no sense of ensemble. In other words, there was no give and take between the two singers. Regardless of what was being sung or spoken, each line was delivered strongly as if it were the most important. An apt illustration would be trying to watch two actors endlessly yell over one another in even the quietest, most sensitive of moments. Perhaps Denyce Graves, who was originally contracted to sing the role of Sister Helen, would have been a better counterbalance to Slack’s vocal strength and volume. The quartet of parents—singers Andrew Wilkowske, Mary Evelyn Hangley, Robb Asklof, and Victoria Vargas—on the other hand, performed beautifully as an ensemble, responding naturally to one another as they shared their experiences of loss, grief, pain, and, yes, anger.
[It must be noted, however, that at the Thursday (Feb. 1) evening performance, the balance between Slack and Martin was superbly attended to, and the two singers gave a most-excellent performance.]
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| Photo: Cory Weaver |
Costume designer, Sheila White, is to be commended for her stark and simple presentation of textile. However, hopefully someone will get to her soon and inform her that the chasuble (the outer garment a Roman catholic priest often wears) is only donned for the celebration of the Mass. The priest, Fr. Grenville, would most likely have been in clerics the night of De Rocher’s execution (i.e., the typical black button-down shirt with the white Roman collar most often associated with the look of a Roman catholic priest). He would have most likely worn a purple stole about his neck as well in case the need arose for him to hear a last-minute confession. This faux pas reminded me of the time I saw Dialogues des Carmélites with Austin Opera (then Austin Lyric Opera) in which the Mass depicted on stage presented the priest facing the people from behind the altar. Of course, back in 1794 (long before the 1963 liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council), the priest would have celebrated the Mass ad orientem, that is, standing in front of the altar with his back to the congregation. A silly and most unfortunate embarrassment that so easily could have been caught and corrected with nothing more than a little research.
All in all, though, the production was a HUGE success, and I strongly recommend going to see it this coming weekend or whenever it is in town. I, for one, have now seen it twice, and it seemed fresh and new both times. The story is provocative and the music affecting as Michael Christie’s conducting gesture perfectly embodies the drama or emotion unfolding in every moment. This is a show you do not want to miss. Please visit http://www.mnopera.org/season/2017-2018/dead-man-walking/ for more details and showtimes. And, to learn more about the life of Sister Helen Prejean, please consider reading Helen Prejean: Death Row's Nun by Joyce Duriga and published by Liturgical Press (2017). Order information may be found at https://litpress.org/Products/B4663/Helen-Prejean. This is Mark Anthony Rodriguez contributing to Keith Russell’s “Life in Revue.” Enjoy the show.
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