Dead Man Walking

Yes, it’s an opera based on the book by Sister Helen Prejean that gave us the Sean Penn movie of the same title. But if you think that means you’ve experienced this story fully already, you’re mistaken. This powerful operatic setting showcases the world-class talents of baritone John Packard (as Joseph Boucher) and sopranos Susan Graham (as Prejean) and Frederica von Stade (as Boucher’s mother), and it brings an emotional depth to the story that wasn’t exactly missing in the movie, but that comes across in a different way in this version. Jake Heggie’s score is both accessible and wrenching, and the energy and connection generated by Packard and Graham are riveting. (Von Stade is perhaps a bit less immediately involving in her role.) Highly recommended both to opera lovers and to anyone who was moved by the original book and movie.