Jake Heggie Intelligence

Conceived by Jake Heggie, Gene Scheer (Librettist) and Jawole Willa Jo Zollar (director & choreographer)
Commissioned by Houston Grand Opera.

Houston Grand Opera Orchestra Conductor: Kwamé Ryan. Janai Brugger (Mary Jane Bowser), Jamie Barton (Elizabeth Van Lew), J’Nai Bridges (Lucinda), Caitlin Lynch (CallieVan Lew), Michael Mayes (Travis Briggs), Nicholas Newton (Henry), Joshua Blue (Wilson).

Director: Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, director & choreographer; Jake Heggie, composer; Gene Scheer, librettist.
Urban Bush Women Dancers.
Houston Grand Opera HGO0001


From its opening dramatic flourishes, Jake Heggie's latest opera, Intelligence, demonstrates precisely why the Wall Street Journal has hailed him as "arguably the world's most popular 21st-century opera and art song composer."

This inaugural release from Houston Grand Opera's new label—created in partnership with LSO Live—captures a work of remarkable theatrical power and musical sophistication.

Set against the tumultuous backdrop of Civil War Richmond, Intelligence tells the little-known but gripping true story of two unlikely spies: Elizabeth Van Lew, scion of a prominent Confederate family, and Mary Jane Bowser, born into slavery in the Van Lew household. When Elizabeth dispatches Mary Jane on a perilous intelligence-gathering mission within the Confederate White House, both women embark on a journey that will alter not only the course of American history but also their destinies.

Heggie's compositional mastery is immediately apparent. His melodic lines flow with natural grace, perfectly matching the contours of Gene Scheer's intelligent libretto. The composer, who has penned ten operas and more than 300 art songs, demonstrates an uncanny ability to marry dramatic urgency with musical beauty. Each vocal line serves the narrative while maintaining its own lyrical integrity—a balance that eludes many contemporary opera composers.

Under Kwamé Ryan's assured direction, the Houston Grand Opera Orchestra delivers a performance of exceptional refinement. Ryan's interpretation reveals the score's every nuance, achieving that rare orchestral transparency where dramatic weight never overwhelms vocal clarity. Intriguingly, Heggie has dispensed with a traditional chorus, yet this apparent limitation proves liberating, allowing the composer to focus intensively on character development through intimate musical portraiture.

The vocal performances are uniformly superb. Mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton brings compelling authority to Elizabeth Van Lew, whereas soprano Janai Brugger's Mary Jane radiates both vulnerability and determination. Her lyrical soprano navigates Heggie's vocal writing with remarkable assurance, finding poetry in even the most dramatically charged moments.

The supporting cast matches this standard throughout. Caitlin Lynch delights as Callie Van Lew, while J'Nai Bridges enchants Lucinda with a voice of genuine beauty. Michael Mayes deploys his rich baritone to dramatic effect as Travis Briggs, and Nicholas Newton's splendid bass-baritone lends gravitas to Henry's every utterance. Tenor Joshua Blue completes this exemplary ensemble as Wilson.

What emerges is opera at its most compelling: a work that honours both historical truth and musical craft. Heggie has created something genuinely rare in contemporary opera—a score that grips from its opening bars and never loosens its hold. This recording captures that achievement with remarkable fidelity, marking an auspicious beginning for HGO's new recording venture.

Intelligence confirms Heggie's position among America's most significant living opera composers. More importantly, it demonstrates that new opera can indeed captivate audiences when dramatic instinct and musical invention work in perfect harmony.