Jake Heggie is the composer of 10 operas, including Great Scott (libretto by Terrence McNally), recently released on CD and on DVD by Erato. Other operas include Dead Man Walking, Moby-Dick (commissioned by The Dallas Opera), It’s a Wonderful Life, If I Were You, Three Decembers, and Two Remain. He has also composed more than 300 art songs, as well as chamber, choral and orchestral works. Heggie recently completed “What I Miss the Most…” a new song cycle for mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton featuring new texts by Joyce DiDonato, Patti LuPone, Sister Helen Prejean, the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Kathleen Kelly. Songs for Murdered Sisters is a new song cycle based on poems by Margaret Atwood, created for baritone Joshua Hopkins and commissioned by Houston Grand Opera. Last season featured the premiere of INTONATIONS: Songs from the Violins of Hope (texts by Gene Scheer) with mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke and violinist Daniel Hope. Heggie is currently at work on INTELLIGENCE with librettist Gene Scheer for Houston Grand Opera. Great Scott was a 2019 Grammy Award nominee for Best New Composition, Classical. Dead Man Walking has been recorded twice and, with 70 productions internationally, is one of the most performed American operas of our time. The Metropolitan Opera has announced a new production of Dead Man Walking for a future season, starring Joyce DiDonato and conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin. Moby-Dick, telecast throughout the United States as part of PBS Great Performances’ 40th Season, was subsequently released on DVD.
