Heggie: Dead Man Walking (Live recording of 2000 world premiere production) [Import]

Susan Graham (Artist), Frederica von Stade (Artist), John Packard (Artist), Theresa Hamm-Smith (Artist), Gary Rideout (Artist), Catherine Cook (Artist), Jake Heggie (Composer), Patrick Summers (Conductor), San Francisco Opera Chorus and Orchestra (Orchestra) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Orchestra: San Francisco Opera Chorus and Orchestra
• Conductor: Patrick Summers
• Composer: Jake Heggie
• Audio CD (January 8, 2002)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Import
• Label: Erato Disques
• ASIN: B000059ZHR
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #129,889 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Dead Man Walking, opera: Prelude

2. Dead Man Walking, opera: Prologue

3. Dead Man Walking, opera: Act 1. Scene 1.: 'He will gather us around.'

4. Dead Man Walking, opera: Act 1. Scene 2.: 'Be careful,' people have always told me.'

5. Dead Man Walking, opera: Act 1. Scene 2.: 'This journey. This journey to Christ.'

6. Dead Man Walking, opera: Act 1. Scene 3.: 'Sister Helen? I've been waiting for you.'

7. Dead Man Walking, opera: Act 1. Scene 4.: 'Some of them didn't look so bad.'

8. Dead Man Walking, opera: Act 1. Scene 4.: 'I don't like that man.:

9. Dead Man Walking, opera: Act 1. Scene 5.: 'Woman on the tier!'

10. Dead Man Walking, opera: Act 1. Scene 6.: 'Thank you.'

See all 17 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Dead Man Walking, opera: Act 2.: Prelude

2. Dead Man Walking, opera: Act 2. Scene 1.: '31... 32... 33...'

3. Dead Man Walking, opera: Act 2. Scene 2.: 'Oh!... Now and at the hour of our death. Amen.'

4. Dead Man Walking, opera: Act 2. Scene 2.: 'Sometimes forgiveness is in the smallest gesture.'

5. Dead Man Walking, opera: Act 2. Scene 3.: 'Well? Well?'

6. Dead Man Walking, opera: Act 2. Scene 3.: 'What time is it?'

7. Dead Man Walking, opera: Act 2. Scene 4.: 'Don't say a word.'

8. Dead Man Walking, opera: Act 2. Scene 4.: 'Who will walk with me?'

9. Dead Man Walking, opera: Act 2. Scene 5.: 'Good evening.'

10. Dead Man Walking, opera: Act 2. Scene 5.: 'I've said some harsh things.'

See all 15 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Opera for a twenty-first century audience, May 8, 2002

By 

Tyler "davistyler" (Walla Walla, WA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Heggie: Dead Man Walking (Live recording of 2000 world premiere production) (Audio CD)

Jake Heggie's first opera, Dead Man Walking, is a triumph of musical and dramatic genius. McNally's libretto tightens the scope of Prejean's lengthy narrative to its dramatic essentials. The story is moving and poignant: an exploration of the intense and vivid emotions surrounding this deeply complicated process, but mixed with wonderful bits of humor and lighter sentiment. The duet about Las Vegas is particularly entertaining, and also touching in its personability.

Heggie is at home writing for the voice, which is apparent in the hymn "He will gather us around", but also in Joe's aria "A Warm Night...", the Act 2 Duet between Sister Helen and Sister Rose, and also von Stade's moving goodbye to Joe in Act 2. It's rediculously inaccurate to say that there are no hummable tunes in the opera, and every one of those tunes has a special place on the dramatic trajectory of this powerful work. The singing is also fabulous. John Packard is better live than on recording, but the acting comes across wonderfully. Susan Graham's use of myriad vocal colors is fantastic, and her crystal diction is vital for this wonderfully vernacular libretto. It's hard to believe that this is a live recording; I've never been in an opera house where people were that quiet. Just further proof, I suppose, of the powerful grip that the opera has over an audience.

The most important aspect of the work, though, is its accessibility to both veteran opera-philes and those who have very little exposure to the genre. It's inclusion of musical material more classified in a gospel or rock idiom and it's use of motives for emotional impact work to include the audience rather than alienate them. In contrast to much of contemporary opera, Dead Man Walking leaves the audience feeling included, and moved, and loved. I would recommend this recording to all levels of opera exposure, all musical tastes, and anyone who has ever had to deal with losing someone they love--it speaks to everyone.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Oh My God!!!!, February 5, 2002

By 

Gregory J. Diercks (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Heggie: Dead Man Walking (Live recording of 2000 world premiere production) (Audio CD)

I first listened to this recording on a plane last week. The women sitting next to me asked me "If I was OK." I was frequently moved to tears. I listened to it again while I was laying on the beach on vacation last week. Again, the people around me wondered if I was OK or not - more tears. Most everyone probably already knows the story of this opera so I won't discuss that here, but I will say that the condensation of the plot is amazingly concise and to the point. The singing is phenomenal - Susan Graham brings incredible life to the role of Sisten Helen. Flicka von Stade, as the mother, brings a pathos and humanity to her role.

Buy this recording, listen to if frequently - you will be moved.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Moving 20th Century Opera, April 7, 2002

By 

M Williams (San Francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Heggie: Dead Man Walking (Live recording of 2000 world premiere production) (Audio CD)

This opera is quite moving. While it doesn't have the showstoppers of a Donizetti or Rossini opera some of the reviewers are looking for (few, if any modern operas will as they are through-composed), it has some haunting music that is quite moving. Time indeed will tell, and I believe that it will show this opera to be one of the greatest from the recent additions to American opera....That is missing the point and missing the enjoyment of a beautiful work of American music. The performances are superb. Buy this recording and judge for yourself. You won't be disappointed.