Opera so good it could become habit forming

Experience the bittersweet story of Sister Helen Prejean’s fight for the soul of a condemned murderer when the Metropolitan Opera presents “Dead Man Walking” at the Newport Performing Arts Center this Saturday, Oct. 21.

American composer Jake Heggie’s achingly beautiful opera will be beamed live directly from the Met stage in New York City to the big screen in Newport.

Heggie’s compelling masterpiece, the most widely performed new opera of the past 20 years, will open the new season of The Met: Live in HD. Material from Prejean’s memoir is beautifully matched with Heggie’s poignant music and brilliant libretto by Tony and Emmy award-winner Terrence McNally.

The haunting new production by Ivo van Hove sees Met Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin take the podium, with mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato starring as Sister Helen. The outstanding cast also features bass-baritone Ryan McKinny as the death-row inmate Joseph De Rocher, soprano Latonia Moore as Sister Rose and legendary mezzo-soprano Susan Graham — who sang Helen Prejean in the opera’s 2000 premiere — as De Rocher’s mother.

The production, sung in English, begins at 10 am. Run time is approximately three hours and 14 minutes with one intermission. Tickets range from $15.50 to $25.75.

The Newport Performing Arts Center is located at 777 W Olive Street. For more information, go to coastarts.org or call 541-265-2787.