“It is such an honor to finally present Paul Moravec and Mark Campbell’s [opera] The Shining.”
On the eve of Opera Colorado’s regional premiere of the work, Greg Carpenter — General & Artistic Director — invites us to learn more about the company’s upcoming production which runs from February 26 through March 6 at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House in Denver. Originally commissioned by the Minnesota Opera, The Shining premiered in May 2016 at the Ordway Music Theater (Saint Paul, MN) staged by Eric Simonson and with music direction by Michael Christie. Opera Colorado is the first company to mount the opera since the premiere. Eric Simonson returns to direct as Ari Pelto conducts this production.
Carpenter continues. “Opera Colorado postponed [The Shining] one year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [But now], this production — based on an iconic novel of the 20th-century and set to brilliant 21st-century music — is an example of the kind of artistic risk Opera Colorado is willing to take that celebrates our vibrancy and demonstrates our commitment to building audiences of the future.”
Moravec comments. “I love the idea that The Shining is ‘coming home’ to Colorado. While Stephen King’s story has achieved an iconic status throughout the world, for me, the realization of the opera version in its natural habitat lends it a special, deeper resonance. Everything about Opera Colorado’s production — the cast, conductor, director, orchestra — is a composer’s dream come true.” Librettist Campbell adds, “I was very happy to learn that The Shining sold more tickets than Carmen at the Opera Colorado box office on its first day of ticket sales. It shows that audiences are eager to see new stories, like this one, at the opera house. And while many people may be familiar with the movie, this opera, adapted faithfully from Stephen King’s gripping novel, gives audiences an exciting new perspective on the story.”
