Opera Colorado gives voice to Stephen King book

Classic Colorado-based horror novel takes new artistic form

By Kyle Kirves

You know “The Shining.” Maybe you’ve never read the book or seen any of the film adaptations, but you know the beats of the story. A family man takes his wife and young son to an isolated hotel to serve as its custodian during the winter months. He then gradually descends into madness, with all the classic scary story elements making an appearance: ghosts, psychic communication, demonic possession….

Redrum.  

That all makes for a great story, whether book or movie … or an opera? Really? “The Shining?”

“It has everything great opera should have,” said Greg Carpenter, general and artistic director for Opera Colorado. “It’s a compelling and engaging story with a lot of forward momentum. Some really tender moments, some tumultuous ones. And there are the ghosts. A lot of great operas are ghost stories.” 

“The Shining” was originally commissioned by Minnesota Opera, and Opera Colorado will be the second company to stage the show (Opera Kansas City canceled a planned 2020 run because of COVID-19).  

“We are very fortunate to be able to be just the second company nationally to produce this opera, and do it here in Denver,” Carpenter said. 

It does seem a natural, logical fit for Opera Colorado. Estes Park’s picturesque Stanley Hotel was the nightmare fuel for the fictional Overlook Hotel, the novel’s main setting, after author Stephen King’s stay there in the 1970s. King himself is reportedly a big fan of this operatic adaptation. 

“The opera is very much true to the book,” Carpenter said of its resonance with King and his loyal fans. “All of the scary stuff is in there, as well as the human side of the story, too. It’s so iconic and memorable and exquisite.” 

Without spoiling much, Carpenter suggests that fans of the book will be very pleased with the way the opera ends. Fans of Kubrick’s classic film version, which King critiqued for straying too far from the novel, should not feel left out. The opera weaves in certain touches from the movie, and the opera has its own cinematic and multimedia features as well. 

“It is the most expansive, and expensive, production that Opera Colorado has ever produced at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House,” Carpenter said. 

Rehearsals begin in January for the five performances. Some cast members are from the original Minnesota performance, while most are new to their roles.

“When we announced we were going to be doing ‘The Shining,’ interest from performers was very high.” Carpenter said. “There was a lot of competition for the roles and we had a lot – a LOT – of agents contacting us. That speaks to the reputation of the opera itself and how it was received in Minnesota. We had a great turnout for child auditions for the role of Danny.”

“The Shining” is familiar and well-regarded, so it serves as a perfect introduction for those who’ve never seen an opera but may want to try it out, or the “opera curious,” as Carpenter calls them. The show lowers the barriers to entry for newbies. 

“For one, the opera is in English, so there is no language barrier that you might have in something like ‘Tosca,’” said Carpenter, of the famed Italian opera. Moreover, every seat in the Ellie Caulkins Opera House also has its own personal subtitling system — a plus, even for performances in English. Also, it runs just under two and a half hours, in two acts with an intermission, with a tight, well-tuned staging that runs shorter than many movies.

“For some others, it may be that they have friends that don’t want to go. Even those friends can relate to or are likely familiar with ‘The Shining.’ Or even what to wear,” Carpenter mused. Still have questions? Opera Colorado has an FAQ on its website to guide you through your inaugural visit. 

Fair warning though: With interest levels as high for “The Shining” as for any other show in Opera Colorado’s history, tickets will likely be snapped up quickly for the five performances. Sales are already steady for the February run. Fans of King’s novel will … wait for it …  not want to overlook this magnificent run of contemporary opera.

Kyle Kirves drinks beer, plays guitar, runs trails, and manages projects – all with varying degrees of success. While not a craftsman himself, he is quite content writing about the Colorado artisans who create such wonderful things and memorable experiences.