The Commonweal Podcast

Ep. 115 - An Opera for ‘Life People’

Listen Later

Dead Man Walking, based on the acclaimed memoir by Sr. Helen Prejean, may be the world’s most popular contemporary opera. But it had never before been performed on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City—until now. 

On this special episode, in anticipation of the Met Opera’s Live-in-HD broadcast in cinemas on October 21, host Dominic Preziosi is joined by bass-baritone Ryan McKinny, who plays the condemned murderer Joseph DeRocher, and Sr. Helen Prejean herself. 

Together, they discuss the significance of this new production of Dead Man Walking, and why its message of mercy, forgiveness, and redemption continues to resonate with audiences today.


For further reading: 

  • Commonweal’s review of Dead Man Walking
  • An interview with the composer, Jake Heggie
  • Sr. Helen Prejean remembers her 1950s novitiate
    • ...more
    View all episodesView all episodes
    Download on the App Store
    The Commonweal PodcastBy Commonweal Magazine
    • 4.6
    • 4.6
    • 4.6
    • 4.6
    • 4.6

    4.6

    124 ratings

    More shows like The Commonweal Podcast

    View all
    Fresh Air by NPR

    Fresh Air

    38,062 Listeners

    The New Yorker Radio Hour by WNYC Studios and The New Yorker

    The New Yorker Radio Hour

    6,826 Listeners

    The Book Review by The New York Times

    The Book Review

    3,970 Listeners

    On the Media by WNYC Studios

    On the Media

    9,237 Listeners

    The Brian Lehrer Show by WNYC

    The Brian Lehrer Show

    1,571 Listeners

    The Gray Area with Sean Illing by Vox

    The Gray Area with Sean Illing

    10,729 Listeners

    The Daily by The New York Times

    The Daily

    111,948 Listeners

    Jesuitical by America Media

    Jesuitical

    1,009 Listeners

    Radio Atlantic by The Atlantic

    Radio Atlantic

    2,374 Listeners

    Inside The Vatican by America Media

    Inside The Vatican

    405 Listeners

    Know Your Enemy by Matthew Sitman

    Know Your Enemy

    2,060 Listeners

    The Ezra Klein Show by New York Times Opinion

    The Ezra Klein Show

    15,950 Listeners

    Hark! The stories behind our favorite Christmas carols by America Media

    Hark! The stories behind our favorite Christmas carols

    309 Listeners

    The Opinions by The New York Times Opinion

    The Opinions

    640 Listeners

    The Spiritual Life with Fr. James Martin, S.J. by America Media

    The Spiritual Life with Fr. James Martin, S.J.

    1,132 Listeners