John Patrick Shanley, in the checkered shirt, spoke with Minnesota Opera artistic director Dale Johnson, left, after a workshop Friday for "Doubt." Composer Douglas Cuomo was in the brown shirt. At right were John Birge of MPR and Tim Gihring of Minnesota Monthly magazine. /Photo provided by Minnesota Opera
Writer John Patrick Shanley and composer Douglas Cuomo got to listen for the first time to the opera version of "Doubt," Shanley's award-winning play. The duo was in Minneapolis for a workshop of the opera, slated for world premiere next January with the Minnesota Opera.
As singers Karin Wolverton, Adriana Zabala and Jonathan Kimple sang through the first act, Shanley and Cuomo made a few minor suggestions: a fermata here, a break there to emphasize a point. Any major changes will wait until the two can get back to the studio and tinker.
Still to be completed is the second act. After Friday's long session concluded, Shanley said he can't really say he's anxious about finishing the work — his first stab at opera. That's because it is just one more thing in his busy life to which he needs to attend. He ticked off half a dozen major projects he's working on, including trying to find a new place to live in New York (He just sold his apartment).
"It all kind of comes together in a sense of dread and I have trouble picking it apart," he said with a laugh.
Opera artistic director Dale Johnson pronounced himself pleased with the progress after Friday. Asked if there are benchmarks he needs met before moving ahead, Johnson said there's no question in his mind that the work will reach the stage next year. Shanley and Cuomo will be back in early June for the next workshop.
"Doubt" won the Tony and Pulitzer prize for drama. Shanley adapted and directed a film version with Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman.
