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Dead Man Walking
By Michael Van Duzer
Broadway marquees are currently filled with musicals that began their dramatic life as films. The trend seems to be spreading to the world of American Opera where recent premieres like McTeague and The Great Gatsby share a history of celluloid interpretation along with their literary antecedents. Still, many were scratching their heads when San Francisco Opera produced Dead Man Walking last season. This gritty and controversial story based on a real-life incident brought to the operatic stage by a first-time composer and librettist seemed an enormous gamble. The gamble paid off brilliantly with international attention and the most successful world premiere in the history of the company. Now Opera Pacific is presenting the second production of Dead Man Walking featuring a new director and design team.
Jake Heggie's score has already been hailed as a modern masterpiece and, with numerous productions scheduled, it is as close to an operatic smash hit as we're ever likely to see. Musically the opera is both effective and accessible. Like Gershwin and Menotti before him, Heggie trusts the dramatic power of melody. Though he ornaments the orchestration with a filagree of blues and rock flourishes, the opera is no mere pastiche. Heggie writes music that is graceful, eloquent, and keenly attuned to the human voice. After a chilling prologue showing the murders, Terrance McNally's carefully crafted libretto pulls back from the emotional hotbed of death penalty issues by focusing on the journey of Sister Helen Prejean. Through her eyes we see the grief of the families, the intractability of the system, and, most importantly, the growth of Joseph DeRocher from heartless monster to human being. McNally is careful to show both sides of the debate on capital punishment, but his focus is on the human toll, not the politics.
Kristine Jepson sings Sister Helen, repeating her role from the San Francisco production where she was the alternate. Her clear, expressive mezzo easily navigates Heggie's felicitous vocal line, and her acting is clear-eyed and convincing. As with most strong characters, Sister Helen is most interesting in her moments of doubt. Jepson understands this and makes the most them. Watching her struggle to explain her position to the families of the victims or wrestle with her convictions after a nightmare are the foundation for a complex and memorable portrayal. Baritone John Packard repeats his indelible DeRocher from the premiere, and it is hard to imagine anyone better suited to the task. The opera demands a good deal of non-traditional operatic behavior, but even when shackled or doing push-ups, his resonant baritone shows no trace of strain. Frederica von Stade recreates her role as DeRocher's mother. It is no surprise that this consummate singer of everything from Monteverdi to Kern easily conquers the vocal demands of this small but vital role. The real revelation comes from her diva-free portrayal of a simple woman, torn apart by her son's incomprehensible act and the love she still feels for him. The entire supporting cast upholds the extraordinary artistic level set by the principals.
Leonard Foglia has directed with a sure hand and a sympathetic eye. His blocking is fluid throughout, and he has shaped the performances with care and sensitivity. Michael McGarty's sets may be less literal and grandiose than those used in San Francisco, but that is perfectly in keeping with the taut spareness of this new production. Opera Pacific's Artistic Director John DeMain was, once again, in the orchestra conducting with a spirit reminiscent of his championing of that other great American opera, Porgy and Bess. DeMain and Opera Pacific are to be lauded for their commitment to Dead Man Walking (made long before its debut) and for their sincere desire to challenge their audiences with some of the most interesting productions around.
Dead Man Walking Plays at Segerstrom Hall April 16, 18, 19, 20 and 21, 2002.
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