Jake Heggie

American composer Jake Heggie is best known for Dead Man Walking, the most widely-performed new opera of the last 25 years, as well as his critically acclaimed operas Moby-Dick, Three Decembers, Intelligence, and It’s a Wonderful Life. In addition to 10 full-length operas and numerous one-acts, Heggie has composed more than 300 art songs, as well as concerti, chamber music, choral, and orchestral works. His compositions have been performed on five continents, and he regularly collaborates with some of the world’s most beloved artists as both a composer and pianist.

In the 2025-2026 season, Dead Man Walking celebrates its 25th anniversary with many performances internationally, including a new production at English National Opera and a special run at San Francisco Opera, which originally commissioned the work. Also this year, Intelligence will receive its album release by Houston Grand Opera on the LSO Live label. His work “Fire,” originally commissioned by violinist Joshua Bell, continues to be programmed across the globe, and new commissions include those for the London Symphony Orchestra, Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music, and Los Angeles Philharmonic. Committed to legacy-building, Heggie is the Diane B. Wilsey Distinguished Professor of Composition at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.