FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Event: “Dead Man Walking”
The CU Opera Program presents the Rocky Mountain regional and collegiate premiere of Jake Heggie’s and Terrence McNally’s “Dead Man Walking” in Macky Auditorium Concert Hall Friday, October 26 at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, October 27 at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, October 28 at 2 p.m. Since its premiere in 2000, “Dead Man Walking,” the first opera by composer Jake Heggie and librettist Terrence McNally, has become one of the opera world’s most performed new works. Commissioned by San Francisco Opera (then headed by Lotfi Mansouri), it is based on the prize-winning book by Sister Helen Prejean, CSJ and tells the modern-day story of a nun who leads a condemned man on Louisiana’s death row on a journey to redemption. The opera was first performed on October 7, 2000 at San Francisco’s War Memorial Opera House. This production includes adult material, parental discretion is advised. The productions’ casts will include students and faculty in the University of Colorado at Boulder College of Music’s Vocal Program: Sister Helen Prejean (Fri. & Sun.) - Julia Tobiska Director of Opera Studies William Gustafson is Stage Director, Timothy Long is Music Director and Conductor, Tom Robbins is Costume Designer, and Peter Dean Beck is Set Designer. A Brown Bag Preview of the production will be held on Wednesday, October 24 at noon in the Music Theatre in the Imig Music Building. The preview provides an opportunity to join the cast, stage director, and music director for a glimpse of selections from “Dead Man Walking.” The preview is free and open to the public. Several additional free public events will take place in conjunction with this performance. The International Film Series will present a free screening of the film “Dead Man Walking” Wednesday, October 24 at 7 p.m. in Muenzinger Auditorium. The CU-Boulder Department of Sociology, CU School of Law, and Boulder County Bar Association will host a Death Penalty Lecture/Discussion with Professor and Department Chair Michael Radelet as moderator Thursday, October 25 at 7:30 p.m. in Duane Physics Building Room G1B30 on the CU-Boulder campus. CU Opera will host a special Panel Discussion featuring composer Jake Heggie and Sister Helen Prejean, CSJ Friday, October 26 at 2 p.m. in Grusin Music Hall. Director of Opera Studies William Gustafson joined the College of Music faculty in 2002 after holding the same position at the New England Conservatory in Boston. CU Opera at the University of Colorado has been performing great operas and musicals in Boulder since 1980. The group has become one of the premiere college opera programs in the United States. CU Opera performances take place in Macky Auditorium and the Music Theatre in CU’s Imig Music Building. Ticket prices for “Dead Man Walking” are $10 to $35. They may be ordered by calling the CU Concerts Box Office at 303-492-8008 or online at http://www.cuconcerts.org. Discounts are available for CU students, faculty and staff, groups, youth, and seniors. All seats are reserved. Tickets for CU Opera’s production of Strauss’ “Die Fledermaus” March 14 & 16, 2008 are also now available. -END- |