“In two acts and at two-and-a-half hours, it is also too long. Scenes almost inevitably outstay their welcomes...And, despite the powerful feelings ceaselessly on display, the opera never quite finds its way to riveting drama or tight conflict”
Read more

“The production supplied some of the weight and interiority that the opera itself lacks. The libretto carries the story; Mr. Heggie’s music doesn’t create or develop characters, relying instead on a noisy, propulsive orchestra and multiple climaxes.”
Read more

“Despite my issues with this production, Heggie and McNally’s piece has a lot of the right ingredients for sticking around: clear musical ideas, with a score that references popular styles without losing its own identity and strong vocal writing, a balanced and well-paced story and a timely set of ethical questions that deal deftly in ambivalence.”
Read more

“Something about it felt, well, unjust — as though the lurid precision of De Rocher’s execution compromised the carefully constructed and gracefully composed world of Heggie’s music. And perhaps this was the point: to paint the justice meted out by the American prison system as no less violent or gratuitous than the crime itself. Despite how correct that may be, it still felt utterly wrong — though if life were fair, we would have no need for faith.”
Read more

“While the production leaves a lot to be desired, it’s impossible not to appreciate the big swings it takes. More importantly, it’s the vessel through which a work like ‘Dead Man Walking’ and its amazing cast are allowed to take the Met stage.”
Read more