Starting Oct. 11 at the Janet Quinney Lawson Capitol Theatre, the Utah Opera presents Paul Moravec and Mark Campbell’s “The Shining,” an operatic retelling of Stephen King’s novel. Unlike Stanley Kubrick’s film, the creators emphasize that this adaptation stays true to King’s original vision of Jack Torrance’s psychological unraveling and his family’s desperate struggle at the Overlook Hotel.
The production runs from Oct. 11 through Oct. 19, just in time for Halloween season, and features the Utah Symphony alongside a cast led by Craig Irvin (Jack Torrance) and Kearstin Piper Brown (Wendy Torrance).
A novel turned into opera
Stephen King’s “The Shining” has popular renditions, but its translation into opera is a more recent, and surprising, phenomenon. Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Paul Moravec and librettist Mark Campbell premiered the work in 2016 at the Ordway Theater in Minnesota. “The story dramatizes three of the most basic aspects of opera — love, death and power. To me, above all, it’s about the power of love in the presence of evil and destructive forces,” Moravec said.
King himself, who has been vocal about his dislike of Kubrick’s interpretation, was quick to approve this rendition. The opera has now made its way from St. Paul, Minnesota to the Utah Opera.
A haunted setting
This performance has a twist of its own: the venue. The Capitol Theatre, with its ornate interiors and century-old history, is rumored to be haunted by a ghost named George, who is known for moving objects around and “whispering through the backstage areas and even, occasionally, through the audience,” according to the press release. “This is the first time a haunted opera is being staged in a theatre that’s known to be haunted,” Christopher McBeth, Utah Opera’s artistic director, said. The atmosphere at this “haunted” theater adds an extra layer of immersion for audiences.
McBeth also noted that this is the perfect time to stage the opera. “Given the amount of enthusiasm that exists in our community for Halloween, fall seemed like the perfect time to stage the production,” he said.
The artistic team
According to McBeth, “Paul Moravec’s music is extraordinary in depicting the psychological and supernatural elements of this story,” he said. “And Mark Campbell’s wordsmithing is unparalleled in the world of opera.”
Brian Staufenbiel, who previously directed the opera in San Francisco, returns to lead as stage director and concept designer. Scenic design by Jacquelyn Scott, costumes by Alina Bokovikova, and projections by David Murakami promise to conjure both the isolation of the Overlook Hotel and its terrifying presence.
This creative team works together to create a wonderful and terrifying opera that is Stephen-King-approved and a perfect rendition of the original story.
Performances and tickets
For Utah Opera, staging “The Shining” continues a tradition of programming contemporary works alongside classics. Recent seasons have included Campbell’s libretti for ”Silent Night” and “The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs.” In presenting these works, the company not only expands its repertoire but also reflects the anxieties, technologies and storytelling of our own era.
“The Shining” runs Oct. 11 through Oct. 19 at the Janet Quinney Lawson Capitol Theatre in downtown Salt Lake City. The production is done in English with supertitles, with a runtime of about two hours plus intermission. Tickets can be purchased at utahopera.org or through USUO Patron Services.
