Dead Man Walking Is the Jan. 20, 2024, Met Opera Saturday Broadcast

Summary: Dead Man Walking is the Jan. 20, 2024, Met Opera Saturday broadcast, airing as seventh of the 2023-2024 season's 27 Saturday matinee radio broadcasts.

American mezzo-soprano Susan Graham created the role of Helen Prejean Saturday, Oct. 7, 2000, in San Francisco Opera's world premiere of Jake Heggie's Dead Man Walking at the War Memorial Opera House and, almost 23 years later, on Tuesday, Sep. 26, 2023, created the role of the mother of the "Dead Man Walking," Mrs. Patrick De Rocher, in the opera's Metropolitan Opera premiere; image of (left to right) Sister Helen Prejean, Susan Sarandon, Susan Graham and Jake Heggie at Dead Man Walking's opening night, Oct. 7, 2000; Sister Helen Prejean authored the 1993-published non-fiction memoir, Dead Man Walking; Susan Sarandon won an Academy Award Monday, March 25, 1996, for her portrayal of the nun in the same-named 1995 American crime drama film: Susan Graham, via Facebook Feb. 2, 2017

Jake Heggie's Dead Man Walking is the Jan. 20, 2024, Met Opera Saturday matinee broadcast, airing at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time as the seventh of the 2023-2024 season's lineup of 27 Saturday matinee radio broadcasts.

Dead Man Walking by American composer Jake Heggie (born March 31, 1961) received nine performances in the 2023-2024 season. The American verismo opera's Metropolitan Opera premiere took place Tuesday, Sep. 26, 2023, at 6:30 p.m. Eastern Time. The second through ninth performances were held Saturday matinee, Sep. 30, at 1:00 p.m.; Tuesday, Oct. 3, at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, Oct. 6, at 8:00 p.m.; Sunday matinee, Oct. 8, at 3:00 p.m.; Thursday, Oct. 12, at 7:30 p.m.; Sunday matinee, Oct. 15, at 3:00 p.m.; Wednesday, Oct. 18, at 7:00 p.m.; and Saturday matinee, Oct. 21, at 1:00 p.m.

The Jan. 20, 2024, Saturday matinee radio broadcast plays the matinee performance from Oct. 21. The replayed performance numbered as the opera's ninth, closing performance in its Met Opera premiere season.

Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Met Opera's Jeanette Lerman-Neubauer Music Director, conducted the first through fourth and seventh through ninth, closing performances. The French Canadian conductor and pianist had made his Met Opera debut Thursday, Dec. 31, 2009, in the opera company's 946th performance of Carmen by French Romantic Era composer Georges Bizet (Oct. 25, 1838-June 3, 1875).

Yannick Nézet-Séguin shared the conductorship with Steven Osgood, who conducted the fifth and sixth performances. The American conductor's appearance in the fifth performance, Sunday, Oct. 8, marked his Met Opera debut. Steven Osgood has been an assistant conductor at the Metropolitan Opera since 2006, according to his website (http://srosgood.com/).

Joyce DiDonato appeared as Sister Helen Prejean in all nine performances. The American lyric-coloratura mezzo-soprano had made her Met Opera debut Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2005, in the trouser role of Cherubino in the opera company’s 419th performance of Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro.

The Metropolitan Opera premiere of Dead Man Walking Tuesday, Sep. 26, 2023, added the role of Sister Helen Prejean to American lyric-coloratura mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato's Met Opera portfolio; two days after its Met Opera premiere, the production performed, with 14 inmates in the chorus, for an audience of 150 inmates at Sing Sing Maximum Security Correctional Facility in Ossining, Westchester County, southeastern New York, in fulfilment of a promise that Joyce had made during her eight years of "singing" and "working with" Sing Sing's prison population: Joyce DiDonato, via Facebook Oct. 18, 2023

Ryan McKinny sang the title role of convicted murderer Joseph De Rocher in all nine performances. The American lyric bass-baritone had made his Met Opera debut Friday, May 4, 2012, as Mr. Ratcliffe in the opera house's 45th performance of Billy Budd by English composer, conductor and pianist by Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten (Nov. 22, 1913-Dec. 4, 1976).

Susan Graham appeared as Mrs. Patrick De Rocher, mother of the "Dead Man Walking." The American mezzo-soprano had made her Met Opera debut Thursday, Sep. 26, 1991, as the Second Lady in the opera company's 271st performance of Die Zauberflöte by Classical Era composer Wolfgang Mozart (Jan. 27, 1756-Dec. 5, 1791). Susan Graham had created the role of Sister Helen Prejean in the San Francisco Opera's world premiere of "Dead Man Walking," held Saturday, Oct. 7, 2000, at the War Memorial Opera House. Her appearances as Mrs. Patrick De Rocher in the opera's Metropolitan Opera premiere revisit the role that she first added to her opera résumé in the Washington National Opera's (WNO) premiere Saturday, Feb. 25, 2017, in the Opera House at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington DC.

Latonia Moore appeared as Sister Rose, Sister Helen's friend and colleague in the Hope House mission, in all nine performances. The American soprano had made her Met Opera debut Saturday, March 3, 2012, in the title role in the opera company's 1,122nd performance of Aida by 19th-century Italian opera composer Giuseppe Verdi (Oct. 10, 1813-Jan. 27, 1901).

Ivo van Hove (born Oct. 28, 1958) directed the Metropolitan Opera premiere of Heggie's Dead Man Walking. The Belgian theater director had made his Met Opera debut Friday, May 5, 2023, in the opera company's 577th performance of Mozart's Don Giovanni.

Ivo van Hove's production team comprised Jan Versweyveld, set and lighting designer; An D'Huys, costume designer; Christopher Ash, projection designer; and Tom Gibbons, sound designer. Belgian theatre set designer Jan Versweyveld, Belgian costumer An D'Huys and American projection designer Christopher Ash shared their Met Opera debuts Friday, May 5, 2023, with their director in his new production's debut, in the opera company's 577th performance of Don Giovanni. English sound designer Tom Gibbons had made his Met Opera debut in Dead Man Walking's Metropolitan Opera premiere Tuesday, Sep. 26, 2023.

French Romantic Era composer Georges Bizet's Carmen airs Jan. 27 as the 2023-2024 season's eighth Saturday matinee radio broadcast. The new production's Saturday matinee broadcast airs at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

(left) Jake Heggie and Yannick Nezet-Seguin; (right) Joyce DiDonato ("Sister Helen Prejean"), Yannick Nezet-Seguin and Susan Graham ("Mrs. Patrick De Rocher"): Yannick Nezet-Seguin, via Facebook Oct. 24, 2017

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Image credits:

American mezzo-soprano Susan Graham created the role of Helen Prejean Saturday, Oct. 7, 2000, in San Francisco Opera's world premiere of Jake Heggie's Dead Man Walking at the War Memorial Opera House and, almost 23 years later, on Tuesday, Sep. 26, 2023, created the role of the mother of the "Dead Man Walking," Mrs. Patrick De Rocher, in the opera's Metropolitan Opera premiere; image of (left to right) Sister Helen Prejean, Susan Sarandon, Susan Graham and Jake Heggie at Dead Man Walking's opening night, Oct. 7, 2000; Sister Helen Prejean authored the 1993-published non-fiction memoir, Dead Man Walking; Susan Sarandon won an Academy Award Monday, March 25, 1996, for her portrayal of the nun in the same-named 1995 American crime drama film: Susan Graham, via Facebook Feb. 2, 2017, @ https://www.facebook.com/MezzoGraham/posts/1451737411505746/

The Metropolitan Opera premiere of Dead Man Walking Tuesday, Sep. 26, 2023, added the role of Sister Helen Prejean to American lyric-coloratura mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato's Met Opera portfolio; two days after its Met Opera premiere, the production performed, with 14 inmates in the chorus, for an audience of 150 inmates at Sing Sing Maximum Security Correctional Facility in Ossining, Westchester County, southeastern New York, in fulfilment of a promise that Joyce had made during her eight years of "singing" and "working with" Sing Sing's prison population: Joyce DiDonato, via Facebook Oct. 18, 2023, @ https://www.facebook.com/JoyceDiDonatoOfficial/posts/pfbid02gFddCbc3LTC8uYPUcG6vnevECSJvmHH9ybmc2qwqVugKuQpU9zbPau9xMtfkJgChl

(left) Jake Heggie and Yannick Nezet-Seguin; (right) Joyce DiDonato ("Sister Helen Prejean"), Yannick Nezet-Seguin and Susan Graham ("Mrs. Patrick De Rocher"): Yannick Nezet-Seguin, via Facebook Oct. 24, 2017, @ https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=878252436998042&set=a.209870397169586

For further information:

"Debut: John Daszak, Ryan McKinny, Joaquin Juan." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 354518 Billy Budd Metropolitan Opera House, Fri, May 4, 2012 Broadcast. Debut: John Daszak, Ryan McKinny, Joaquin Juan. Billy Budd (45) Benjamin Britten / Eric Crozier/E. M. Forster.
Available @ https://archives.metopera.org/MetOperaSearch/record.jsp?dockey=0385006

"Debut: Latonia Moore." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 354395 Aida Metropolitan Opera House, Sat, March 3, 2012 Matinee Broadcast Matinee. Debut: Latonia Moore. Aida (1122) Giuseppe Verdi / Antonio Ghislanzoni.
Available @ https://archives.metopera.org/MetOperaSearch/record.jsp?dockey=0384949

“Debut: Latonia Moore.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 354395 Aida {1122} Metropolitan Opera House: 03/03/2012.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=354395

"Debut: Mark Joseph Mitrano, Tom Gibbons, Tom Gibbons." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 357874 Metropolitan Opera Premiere, Opening Night {138} Dead Man Walking Metropolitan Opera House, Tue, September 26, 2023. Debut: Mark Joseph Mitrano, Tom Gibbons, Tom Gibbons. In English. Dead Man Walking (1) Jake Heggie / Terrence McNally.
Available @ https://archives.metopera.org/MetOperaSearch/record.jsp?dockey=0387294

"Debut: Mark Wigglesworth, Joyce DiDonato, Maurizio Muraro, Wendy Bryn Harmer, Leann Sandel-Pantaleo." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 351338 Le Nozze di Figaro Metropolitan Opera House, Wed, November 2, 2005. Debut: Mark Wigglesworth, Joyce DiDonato, Maurizio Muraro, Wendy Bryn Harmer, Leann Sandel-Pantaleo. Le Nozze di Figaro (419) Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart / Lorenzo Da Ponte.
Available @ https://archives.metopera.org/MetOperaSearch/record.jsp?dockey=0383387

"Debut: Mikael Melbye, Winifred Faix Brown, Susan Graham." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 306030 Die Zauberflöte Metropolitan Opera House, Thu, September 26, 1991. Debut: Mikael Melbye, Winifred Faix Brown, Susan Graham. Die Zauberflöte (271) Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart / Emanuel Schikaneder.
Available @ https://archives.metopera.org/MetOperaSearch/record.jsp?dockey=0379890

"Debut: Nathalie Stutzmann, Ivo van Hove, Jan Versweyveld, An D’Huys, Christopher Ash." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 357692 New Production Don Giovanni Metropolitan Opera House, Fri, May 5, 2023 Broadcast. Debut: Nathalie Stutzmann, Ivo van Hove, Jan Versweyveld, An D’Huys, Christopher Ash. Don Giovanni (577) Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart / Lorenzo Da Ponte.
Available @ https://archives.metopera.org/MetOperaSearch/record.jsp?dockey=0387113

"Debut: Steven Osgood." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 357885 Dead Man Walking Metropolitan Opera House, Sun, October 8, 2023 Matinee. Debut: Steven Osgood. In English. Dead Man Walking (5) Jake Heggie / Terrence McNally.
Available @ https://archives.metopera.org/MetOperaSearch/record.jsp?dockey=0387305

"Debut: Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Elizabeth Caballero, Maria Kowroski, Martin Harvey, Richard Eyre, Rob Howell, Irene Bohan." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 353274 New Production Carmen Metropolitan Opera House, Thu, December 31, 2009 Broadcast. Debut: Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Elizabeth Caballero, Maria Kowroski, Martin Harvey, Richard Eyre, Rob Howell, Irene Bohan. Carmen (946) Georges Bizet / Henri Meilhac/Ludovic Halévy.
Available @ https://archives.metopera.org/MetOperaSearch/record.jsp?dockey=0384395

"Debuts: John Daszak, Ryan McKinny, Joaquin Juan." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 354518 Billy Budd {45} Metropolitan Opera House: 05/04/2012.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=354518

“Debuts: Mark Wigglesworth, Maurizio Muraro, Joyce DiDonato, Wendy Bryn Harmer, Leann Sandel-Pantaleo.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 351338 Le Nozze di Figaro {419} Metropolitan Opera House: 11/02/2005.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=351338

"Debuts: Nathalie Stutzmann, Ivo van Hove, Jan Versweyveld." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 357890 New Production Don Giovanni {577} Metropolitan Opera House: 05/05/2023, Broadcast. (Broadcast Debuts: Nathalie Stutzmann, Ivo van Hove, Jan Versweyveld, An D’Huys, Christopher Ash). Metropolitan Opera House May 5, 2023 New Production.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=357890

"Debuts: Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Richard Eyre, Rob Howell, Irene Bohan, Elizabeth Caballero, Maria Kowroski, Martin Harvey." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 353274 New Production Carmen {946} Metropolitan Opera House: 12/31/2009. Sirius and XM Metropolitan Opera Broadcast New Year's Eve Gala.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=355517

Delacoma, Wynne. "Heggie’s acclaimed 'Dead Man Walking' to receive Lyric Opera debut." Chicago Classical Review. Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2019.
Available @ https://chicagoclassicalreview.com/2019/10/heggies-acclaimed-dead-man-walking-to-receive-lyric-opera-debut/

Gillis, Trevor. "Michael Mayes, from small town Texan to opera star." Opera Sense. Nov. 10, 2017.
Available @ https://www.operasense.com/michael-mayes/

Joyce DiDonato. "Two nights after we opened The Metropolitan Opera season with Dead Man Walking, we had a different kind of opening altogether: at Sing Sing Maximum Security Correctional Facility. 14 incarcerated men made up the chorus, and we performed for 150 men of the general population. For 8 years I've been singing for them and working with them, and right from the start I promised them I would find a way to bring this opera, and Sister Helen herself, to them. Thanks to the extraordinary work of the Musical Connections Program of Carnegie Hall and my amazing colleagues from the cast, this became a reality. It was perhaps the most extraordinary musical and human experience of my life. I'm glad ABC Nightline was there to capture a bit of the atmosphere." Facebook. Oct. 18, 2023.
Available via Facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/JoyceDiDonatoOfficial/posts/pfbid02gFddCbc3LTC8uYPUcG6vnevECSJvmHH9ybmc2qwqVugKuQpU9zbPau9xMtfkJgChl

Marriner, Derdriu. "Met Opera Calendars 2023-2024 Season Operas Sep. 26 Through June 8." Earth and Space News. Monday, Sep. 18, 2023.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2023/09/met-opera-calendars-2023-2024-season.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Met Opera Newly Stages Carmen and La Forza del Destino in 2023-2024." Earth and Space News. Monday, Sep. 11, 2023.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2023/09/met-opera-newly-stages-carmen-and-la.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "The Metropolitan Opera Performs 18 Operas in the 2023-2024 Season." Earth and Space News. Monday, Aug. 21, 2023.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2023/08/the-metropolitan-opera-performs-18.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Metropolitan Opera Revives 12 Productions in 2023-2024 Season." Earth and Space News. Monday, Aug. 28, 2023.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2023/08/metropolitan-opera-revives-12.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Only Two of 11 Zeffirelli Productions Are Still Revived at Met Opera." Earth and Space News. Monday, May 25, 2020.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2020/05/only-two-of-11-zeffirelli-productions.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Saturday Matinee Broadcasts Include Six Special Programs in 2023-2024." Earth and Space News. Monday, Nov. 27, 2023.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2023/11/saturday-matinee-broadcasts-include-six.html

The Metropolitan Opera. "The Metropolitan Opera announces its 2023–24 season, with the most new works in the company’s modern history." The Metropolitan Opera > About > Press Releases. Feb. 22, 2023.
Available @ https://www.metopera.org/about/press-releases/the-metropolitan-opera-announces-its-202324-season-with-the-most-new-works-in-the-companys-modern-history/

Susan Graham. "Susan Graham is with Sister Helen Prejean. The #PathToWalking continues . . . Just over 16 years ago we premiered Dead Man Walking at San Francisco Opera. This was from opening night with Jake Heggie, Sister Helen Prejean, and Susan Sarandon. What an incredible adventure to go from creating the role of Sister Helen to taking on the role of Mrs. De Rocher (created for the original run by the extraordinary Frederica Von Stade). #tbt." Facebook. Feb. 2, 2017.
Available via Facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/MezzoGraham/posts/1451737411505746/
Available via Facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/MezzoGraham/photos/pb.100044295403308.-2207520000/1451737411505746/

Yannick Nezet-Seguin. "Saying goodbye to the extraordinary Dead Man Walking production at @metopera! Sister @HelenPrejean and @joycedidonato, your compassion has been the inspiration behind this production. Thank you for sharing your story with the world. @jakeheggiemusic, your hauntingly beautiful score brought Sister Helen's experiences to life, and we are grateful for your artistry. As the final curtain falls, I'm filled with immense gratitude and admiration for the brilliant company that brought this story to the stage. Difficile de dire adieu à l'extraordinaire production de Dead Man Walking au @metopera! Soeur @HelenPrejean et @joycedidonato, votre compassion a été l'inspiration derrière cette production! @jakeheggiemusic, merci d'avoir partagé ton histoire avec le monde entier, ta parition envoûtante a donné vie à l’expérience unique de Soeur Helen, et avec un tel génie! Tandis que le rideau final tombe, je suis rempli d'une immense gratitude et admiration pour cette merveilleuse équipe qui a porté cette histoire sur scène." Facebook. Oct. 24, 2017.
Available via Facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=878252436998042&set=a.209870397169586