San Francisco Chronicle

Heggie braces for a whirlwind season
September 2023

A quarter of a century ago, composer Jake Heggie was working as a publicist for the San Francisco Opera, churning out press releases and waiting for his big break like some kind of operatic Lana Turner. After an early career as a pianist and accompanist, Heggie was ready to turn his hand to full-scale composition. The break came in 2000, when the company commissioned and premiered Heggie’s first opera, “Dead Man Walking.” Suddenly, the musical world had a new titan in its midst.