Review Roundup: WNO's DEAD MAN WALKING

The Washington National Opera opened Dead Man Walking on February 25, which continues throughMarch 11, 2017 in the Opera House. It is based on Sister Helen Prejean's acclaimed 1993 memoir, which tells of her time working with death row inmates at Louisiana State Penitentiary and of a particular relationship she developed with one of the inmates. The opera explores the human conflicts posed by society's demands for vengeance and the Christian imperative for forgiveness and love. The lyrical score by composer Jake Heggie (WNO's Moby-Dick, 2014) is widely regarded as a modern classic, while Terrence McNally's balanced libretto has been called one of the most perfect librettos of an American opera ever written.

Let's see what the critics had to say:

Barbara Johnson, BroadwayWorld: Mayes is excellent in his signature role of De Rocher, acting as a physical manifestation of the challenge facing Sister Helen: how to find the humanity in someone who appears to feel no remorse? Mayes' baritone paints De Rocher as harsh and unrefined, with unexpected tenderness bubbling up under the brashness in pivotal moments. By contrast, Lindsey is a lovely Sister Helen, her mezzo-soprano voice and expressive movements balancing the hopefulness of youth with the exhaustion of a winless situation. She brims with authenticity and avoids being overly saccharine - important when portraying a nun who is real and imperfect.

Anne Midgette, Washington Post: Heggie's romantic score is full of fleeting references small and large to bygone works, from the threatening male chorus (the mob in "Peter Grimes") to the rapid violin figures expressing a character's consternation (Violetta's distraught entrance in Act III of "La Traviata"). It also involves arias, ensembles, melodies and heightened emotion - all familiar tools in the operatic arsenal. And Terrence McNally's libretto even has a good dose of cliche, which Francesca Zambello's production amplifies, down to the crucifixion pose of the doomed man at the end.

MIKE PAARLBERG, Washington City Paper: Make no mistake: Heggie's opera is excellent, a modern-day tragedy that balances its gut-wrenching moments with occasional levity, thanks in large part to Terrence McNally's engaging libretto. It's accessible to new opera audiences and reassuring to old ones, even if that means its musical touchstones-Gershwin, Bernstein, and Barber-are a little anachronistic for an opera set in 1980s Louisiana (Heggie does throw in some closer-to-home motifs drawn from gospel, blues, and Elvis). And it's a familiar story, with the opera coming out just five years after the Tim Robbins film of the same name. Though Heggie and McNally expressed inspiration from the book, not movie, the latter's impact is obvious, with the opera borrowing a composite character based on two convicted murderers in Prejean's book: Sean Penn's Matthew Poncelet, here called Joseph De Rocher.

Susan Galbraith, DC Theatre Scene: The Washington debut of the opera comes at an important time. As drama, Terrence McNally's spare and masterful libretto deals head on with the social ramifications of the politics of the death penalty. By following the chronicle of a young nun's relationship with a man on death row, we are taken on her journey, learn as she did the radical meaning of faith, and see with new eyes.

Jacqueline Melendez, MD Theatre Guide: The mother of Joseph, Mrs. De Rocher, played by world-renowned Mezzo-Soprano Susan Graham, brought tears to the eyes when she sang of her love for her son. Any mother could relate to her plea for her son's pardon. The warm tone in her voice was a comfort that only a mother could give. Graham has a special connection to this opera as she originated the role of Sister Helen PreJean in the opera's world premiere in 2000.

Kate Wingfield, Metro Weekly: As with Britten, Heggie's is a "voice" that captures poignantly the horror of revelation, that mix of the distraught, touched by panic. What he does equally well is grow suspense, be it hovering, ominous strings or the frantic hammer of an alarmed glockenspiel. Heggie's singers ride the music like so many waves, but they also become - as in jazz - instruments that mingle like soloists with the orchestra. All told, it's an extraordinarily riveting tapestry of sound, all of it accessible, all of it an ideal vehicle for this emotionally traumatic story.

Charles T. Downey, Washington Classical Review: Mezzo-soprano Susan Graham, who created the role of Sister Helen, this time sings the role of the convict's mother, created by Frederica von Stade. Unrecognizable in a curly wig and glasses, Graham stood out for the power and intensity of her voice, especially in her outburst at the pardon board hearing in Act I. She brought dignity and sympathy to the character, who believes quite wrongly in her son's innocence.

David Friscic, DC Metro Theater Arts: Ms. Lindsey's lead role requires her to be almost constantly on stage. Luckily, she has superior vocal control and pacing which propels her through this challenging role. Ms. Lindsey's aria questioning her ability to face the mission God impels her to fulfill is mesmerizing -Lindsey sings with a purity of tone that is almost ethereal in effect. Throughout the opera, Lindsey compels us with her many moments singing for strength and God's mercy during crucial dramatic scenes.

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