I just left Dead Man Walking by composer Jake Heggie, at the Met (Oct 18, 2023). I am going to share my opinions and observations about the opera as a whole. This is not a review. Just my observations based on this one attendance.
The story and dramatic action of this opera are now fairly well known as the opera has been performed in several houses worldwide. It is a book and a movie, so the themes are known to many, even having never heard this opera.
I love new works. I embrace new opera. I love how much of it is making its way to stage and screen alike. Having said that, I do have one issue regarding what makes opera Opera. How does it differ from musical theater or plays? That’s the point I wish to begin with. Opera, as I have come to understand it after years immersed in the business as a singer, colleague and audience member, is a genre that emphasizes the voice first and foremost. The music and drama, in great opera, supports the efforts of the singers. And when I go to a new opera, I try to take note of how the singing, the orchestration, and the drama and staging are all working together to achieve that.
I know my opinion is just that- one opinion. And so I will share it despite knowing it is already opposed by several reviews. I can’t say I love this piece. Is it dramatically effective? Absolutely! The final scene is epic and emotional. The opening, with the children’s chorus is lovely. The call back to the spiritual at the end is poignant. I am not arguing that it is an impressive piece of theatre. It is.
The performances were stellar and real. Ryan McKinny is a star. Latonia Moore is an angel whose voice was the one that most consistently and clearly pierced the often heavy orchestra. Joyce DiDonato was vulnerable and impassioned as is absolutely necessary in this role. The other singers all did great. No one was lacking.
Where I take some issue is that’s as opera goes, for me, personally, it missed the mark. I discussed the opera with the woman seated next to me in my box. She had the very great honor of having been to the Old Met!! How many people can say that? She’s heard Tebaldi, Sutherland and Björling live! I swooned a little. So I ask her what she thinks. She said, “there’s nothing in here that would make me want to listen to it again.” I think that’s a pretty honest statement, and one that opera companies should be heeding. I love new opera! But it should be opera, not drama with a lot of emotional gimmicks, technological eye candy and loud noise.
For instance, I thought “Fire Shut Up In My Bones” by Terrence Blanchard, delivered a wonderful balance of hybrid forms and attention to vocal line and balanced orchestration (not at all times, but no operas are perfectly balanced). Even if you do not enjoy the aesthetics of works such as Akhnaten by Phillip Glass and Exterminating Angel, by Thomas Adès, they too endeavored to remember that the voice is why people go to the opera. (Even though Ades’ opera may have demonstrated why “just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.”)
In conclusion, Dead Man Walking is absolutely worthy of praise and the performances and staging are truly top notch. But if you’re going for a few gorgeous lines and a haunting melody, aside from the spiritual, like my box mate, I couldn’t see wanting to hear it again. Sorry to those of you who will scream “sacrilege!”
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