Minnesota Opera to tackle Stephen King horror novel

The Minnesota Opera has commissioned an adaptation of Stephen King's bestselling horror novel "The Shining." Paul Moravec is  composing the music with the libretto by Mark Campbell. The production will be directed by Eric Simonson.

The tale of a family snowed in at an isolated and haunted hotel will premier in 2016.

Opera Artistic Director Dale Johnson says he was drawn to the troubled alcoholic father, Jack.

"Jack is really struggling with his own demons, and that is a perfect opera character,” Johnson said.

The opera is likely to be closer to the story in the novel than the acclaimed film adaptation starring Jack Nicholson.  And it will be a high-tech production.

"We are working with video and working with 3D projection and all this kind of new stuff that I think will create  a different kind of world than maybe we have seen in other operas as well," Johnson said.

"The Shining" is the first of the Minnesota Opera's commissions in its latest New Works Initiative., which aims to develop new operas for the U.S. stage.

(Editorial note: this post was updated to add names of members of the creative team.)

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