Based on a novel by Sister Helen Prejean, Jake Heggie's Dead Man Walking is a story of compassion and redemption originally commissioned by the San Francisco Opera. 

"Joseph De Rocher (Philip Cutlip) leads a lonely life on death row until Sister Helen Prejean (Joyce DiDonato) arrives as his spiritual advisor. Legendary mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade marks her farewell to the operatic stage with these appearances as De Rocher’s mother and Measha Brueggergosman makes her HGO debut as Sister Rose. Patrick Summers—who conducted the opera’s world premiere a decade ago as well as the acclaimed recording on Erato—conducts Houston Grand Opera’s performances, Leonard Foglia directs."

Adult content: contains strong language, nudity, and depictions of sexual activity and violence.