Change my mind about Jake Heggie’s operas

Jake Heggie writes operas like a Restoration Hardware couch—soft, expensive, and allergic to mess.

His music never risks madness or moral rot; it just simpers, swells, and preens under tasteful lighting while pretending to tackle Big Themes. Every character is polished, every score agreeable, every climax so well-behaved you half expect a TED Talk to follow. If opera’s meant to ignite, Heggie hands you a candle in a hurricane and asks if you feel seen.

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