School of Music opera wins National Opera Association award

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln School of Music's 2008 opera production of Jake Heggie's "Dead Man Walking" has won the National Opera Association Award for Best Production. It is the third time in 10 years that UNL Opera has won the award.

The 1998 UNL productions of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's "Cosi Fan Tutte" and the 2001 production of Kurt Weill's "Street Scene" were past winners.

"On many levels it doesn't make sense to 'compete' with artistic projects. One doesn't do these things to 'win,'" said William Shomos, professor and director of opera. "We try to create something beautiful, something truthful, something that will make people think, something that will make people feel. However, it is always nice to have some outside affirmation that your work might be achieving those goals. The 'win' just reminds me of how very proud I am of these remarkable young people here at UNL."

The National Opera Association selects winners each year in five categories, based on the production budget and size of the program. The competition is "blind peer reviewed." A panel of three opera professionals reviews the entry videos without knowing which schools submitted them. Each production is evaluated for the quality of singing, musical accuracy and dramatic integrity, as well as the set, lights and costumes.

The opera "Dead Man Walking" is inspired by Sister Helen Prejean's book about a caring nun who receives a desperate letter from a death row inmate trying to find help to avoid execution for murder. The book was also turned into a movie in 1995 starring Sean Penn and Susan Sarandon.

UNL's production starred graduate students Adrienne Dickson and Tom Gunther in the leading roles.

"Dead Man Walking" was staged by Shomos and conducted by Tyler White, director of orchestral activities at UNL. Laurel Shoemaker was the set designer, and Todd Clark was the lighting designer.

In addition, doctoral students Jeff Richmond (composition) and James Wilson (choral conducting) also contributed. Richmond produced a "summer-stock" reduction of the full orchestral score, which permitted the UNL Philharmonia of 30 pieces to perform an orchestral score originally written for a full orchestra of 70 pieces. Wilson served as chorus master for the production, preparing all of the choral pieces in this opera creation.

The National Opera Association was founded in 1955 under the auspices of the National Music Council. The association seeks to promote a greater appreciation of opera and music theatre, to enhance pedagogy and performing activities, and to increase performing opportunities by supporting projects that improve the scope and quality of opera.