The Utah Opera will premiere the stage production of The Shining on Oct. 11 through the 19 at the Capitol Theater. This is the first time the Opera has produced a horror story, and what better place for The Shining than a haunted theater? Featuring music by Pulitzer Prize winners Paul Moravec and Mark Campbell, this show is sure to be a chilling event.
Behind the stage
Written by Stephen King in 1977, The Shining follows main character, Jack Torrance, as he’s thrown into a spiral of insanity and embarks on a killing spree against his own family. But Moravec and Campbell view it as so much more than a thrilling slasher. “[The Shining] is actually a really good novel for an opera, it has everything that an opera needs,” Moravec said. He added that The Shining is a story of love, death and power—the basic aspects of an opera. The two describe opera as “irrational” and “dynamite” so this story fits into that narrative perfectly. “[Torrance] is caught in a terrible dilemma as he goes mad because he has to observe two sets of instructions that are diametrically opposed. One is to protect his family, and the others to kill them. So boy, is that operatic? There’s a story,” Moravec said.
Eric Simonson is the original director of the production, and when he initially approached Moravec with the concept, he was met with surprise. But as the pair began working, it became clear this was a story made for the opera stage. After bringing on Mark Campbell and receiving permission from King himself, writing began in 2013 and premiered three years later at the Minnesota Opera.
This is the place for ‘The Shining’
Both Moravec and Campbell have a special relationship with Halloween, so the two working together was a dream come true. Utah Opera Artistic Director Christopher McBeth added that Utah’s history is filled with chilling ghost stories, making the production a fitting addition to the state’s October arts calendar. “Given the amount of enthusiasm that exists in our community for Halloween, fall seemed like the perfect time to stage the production,” added McBeth. Considering The Shining has sold out every show since 2016, it’s clear audiences connect with the production. “It’s a beautiful nightmare,” says Moravec. “It’s a world you kind of want to be in. You want to be part of this, that’s part of the appeal.”
The Shining is Utah Opera’s season opener, and the cast and creatives as well as Moravec and Campbell are itching to get started. Campbell said he’s particularly proud of the finale of Act I. “Jack explains that he is the father, that of the family, that he is the man of the family, and that he’s only trying to do the right thing,” he said. “And as he’s doing that, his sanity is falling apart, and all the apparitions in the hotel come alive. We have like 20 voices singing different things at once, and then his voice rises above it, and it’s a moment you can only do in an opera. You could never do that movie. You could never do that in a play.”Moravec agrees: “How better can you create insanity, the feeling of insanity, with anything else but music?”
Don’t miss it!
This production has a run-time of two hours with an intermission. The cast and creative team includes director and concept designer Brian Staufenbiel, who previously directed The Shining in San Francisco with Opera Parallèle. Craig Irvin will play Jack Torrance and Kearstin Piper Brown is cast as Wendy Torrance. The Shining at the Utah Opera is a co-production by Opera Parallèle, Hawaiʻi Opera Theatre, and Portland Opera.
The Shining will open on Oct. 11 at the Capitol Theater, visit utahopera.org for tickets.
Read more of our Theater coverage and get the latest on the Arts and Culture scene in and around Utah. And while you’re here, subscribe and get six issues of Salt Lake magazine, your curated guide to the best of life in Utah.
