November 02. 2019 - November 22. 2019
Upcoming Dates
November 02. 2019 - November 22. 2019
Lyric Premiere & New-to-Chicago Production Dead Man Walking
A young couple is brutally killed, and the convicted murderer, Joseph De Rocher, sits on death row. Sister Helen Prejean agrees to be his spiritual adviser. As she meets his family, and the families of his victims, she begins questioning every attitude she has about how human beings treat each other. Based on real-life events, Jake Heggie’s music and Terrence McNally’s libretto explore the nature of friendship and forgiveness in the most profound ways. Hugely acclaimed in major houses internationally, Dead Man Walking is widely acknowledged as one of the most riveting operas of the 21st century. It simply demands to be seen.
- Language: Sung in English with projected English text
- Running Time: 2 hours, 55 minutes with 1 intermission
- Location: Lyric Opera House
Dead Man Walking videos
Dead Man Walking
By Jake Heggie & Terrence McNally
"This journey"
"God's love and forgiveness"
Dead Man Walking articles
The journey of Dead Man Walking
When Terrence McNally and Jake Heggie first met in 1996 to discuss a possible opera collaboration, it was a comedy that the producer had in mind. Something light and celebratory for the millennium.
Sister Helen Prejean on Dead Man Walking
It's been nearly two decades since the powerful story of the Louisiana nun who became spiritual adviser to a condemned man first premiered on the opera stage. First a New York Times best-selling book, then an Academy Award-winning film, Dead Man Walking is now the most often-produced opera of our generation. The ongoing emotional resonance of this gripping story is undeniable.
Why Susan Graham Wants You to See Dead Man Walking
Lyric audiences have loved American mezzo-soprano Susan Graham for an astonishing three decades. Now Susan wants you to experience the Lyric premiere of Dead Man Walking, which has been incredibly close to her heart since she created the role of Sister Helen Prejean nearly 20 years ago.
Dead Man Walking: A Surprisingly Traditional Modern Opera
For an opera that premiered at the start of the new millennium, Dead Man Walking is surprisingly traditional in many ways. That should be encouraging news to anyone who's wary of contemporary opera.
Synopsis
Time early 1980s | Place Louisiana
Program book
Go inside this production of Dead Man Walking with engaging articles, notes from the director, a complete plot synopsis, artist bios, and more.
Meet the artists
* Lyric debut
** Ryan Opera Center alumna
Lyric premiere of Heggie’s Dead Man Walking generously made possible by
Production owned by Lyric Opera of Chicago. Originally created by Opera Pacific, Cincinnati Opera, New York City Opera, Austin Lyric Opera, Michigan Opera Theatre, Pittsburgh Opera, and Baltimore Opera.
Music by Jake Heggie. Libretto by Terrence McNally. Based on the novel by Sister Helen Prejean, CSJ. Commissioned by San Francisco Opera.