The production, directed by Annilese Miskimmon, will run at the London Coliseum from the 1st to the 18th November.
Rehearsal images have now been released for the upcoming revival of Jake Heggie’s opera ‘Dead Man Walking’, presented in its 25th anniversary year.
The opera’s plot is based on the true story of a Louisiana nun, Sister Helen Prejean, who becomes the spiritual advisor to a convicted murderer on death row. It is taken from Prejean’s bestselling 1993 memoirs, also adapted into a 1995 Oscar-winning film of the same name – which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year – starring Susan Sarandon and Sean Penn.
A new national and international co-production between ENO, Opera North and the Finnish National Opera, this is the first fully staged professional production of Heggie’s iconic work to be performed in the UK. Operatic heavyweights Christine Rice and Michael Mayes will perform the roles of Sister Helen Prejean and the incarcerated Joseph De Rocher respectively.
Meanwhile, they are joined in the cast by Dame Sarah Connolly, who plays Joseph’s mother, Ronald Samm, who takes on the role of prison chaplain Father Grenville, Madeline Boreham as Sister Rose, Jacques Imbrailo as Owen Hart, Gweneth Ann Rand as Kitty Hart, Hubert Francis as Howard Boucher, Catherine Carby as Jade Boucher, Olivia Rose Tringham and Amy Holyland.
The cast is completed by Marcus Swietlicki and Michael Lafferty as Joseph De Rocher’s brothers, Malachy Frame and Harewood Artist Alaric Green as prison guards, Romanian American baritone Andrew Manea as Warden George Benton and former Harewood Artist, tenor Zwakele Tshabalala as the Motorcycle Cop.
Set design for Dean Man Walking is by Alex Eales, with costumes designed by Evie Gurney. D.M. Wood is the production’s Lighting Designer and Imogen Knight is the Movement and Intimacy Director.
Annilese Miskimmon says: ‘The opportunity to direct a new production of Jake Heggie’s emotionally gripping opera Dead Man Walking in its 25th anniversary year, with the likes of Christine Rice, Michael Mayes and Dame Sarah Connolly among the cast, is a true honor. The themes of morality, guilt and forgiveness that the opera tackles feel as relevant today as they did a quarter of a century ago, and I can’t wait to bring a new production to the ENO audience.’
To book tickets visit: https://www.eno.org/events/dead-man-walking/