THE END OF THE AFFAIR PRODUCTION REVIEWS

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, Charlotte Kaiser (September 25, 2005)

Many singers love the music of Jake Heggie for the way his vocal lines lie for their voices; he is a very “singable” composer, and stars like Renée Fleming have recorded his songs. Mr. Heggie’s last opera, Dead Man Walking, about the death penalty, was also a popular success. His latest, The End of the Affair, is based on Graham Greene’s novel of religious faith and infidelity in 1940s London.
 

SEATTLE WEEKLY, Gavin Borchert (Oct 19-25, 2005)

Heggie’s orchestral writing has a deep, satisfying vividness and strength, painting and punctuating the drama with striking musical gestures (music you can actually remember 10 seconds later) and conjuring imaginative splashes of color … Heggie has a solid success on his hands.
 

SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER, R.M. Campbell (Oct 18, 2005)

“The End of the Affair,” given its West Coast premiere by Seattle Opera, is an opera of intimate scale, engrossing ideas and a comfortable musical palette. Its lyricism is frank and tender, even haunting on occasion.
 

SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE, Joshua Kosman (Oct 20, 2005)

…Heggie uses his gift for characterization and his command of dramatic counterpoint to bring life to the traditional opera subjects: the conflict of a love triangle or the emotional urgency of doubt or despair. His melodies arch in long, splendidly directed curlicues that sweep the listener along. The orchestra writing is sumptuous and resourceful, and some of the ensembles, including a Puccinian love duet to end Act 1, are bravura displays of transparency and intricacy.
 

AMERICAN RECORD GUIDE, John W. Barker (July/August 2005)

I reckon Heggie’s opera in this revised form to be a work of substance and appeal both dramatically and musically. I think it could well have a real future. What is clear is that Jake Heggie is by now a major figure on our opera scene.
 

THE HERALD, EVERETT, WA, Mike Murray (Oct 21, 2005)

Heggie’s music is a rich wall of sound that supports the divergent emotions of the characters. The music is accessible, and the influences of jazz and a snappy fox trot enliven a somber story.
 

ISTHMUS, John W. Barker (April 28, 2005)

Off now to Seattle, The End of the Affair has a promising future ahead. And Madison Opera has entered opera history by speeding the progress of Jake Heggie as a new master of opera.
 

WISCONSIN STATE JOURNAL, John Aehl (April 23, 2005)

“The End of the Affair,” a contemporary opera staged by Madison Opera Friday night in Overture Hall, is a brave, bold, professional production, with intriguingly complex and modern but tonal music, strong theatrical values in sets and lighting, excellent work by singers and orchestra, and an overall feel of high quality. The opera has moments of strong musical beauty. It also has several climatic moments of great impact. It captures the mystical tortured-souls nature of Greene’s novel.
 

HOUSTON CHRONICLE, Charles Ward (March 6, 2004)

Heggie’s score has more immediate appeal than that of “Dead Man Walking.” It sounds tonal enough to be comfortable but sufficiently complex to challenge complacent listening. Big solos and well-constructed ensembles give the singers plenty of opportunities to explore their characters thoroughly. … A 24-player chamber orchestra was the source of amazingly rapturous and voluptuous sounds throughout Thursday’s performance.