ByGD
Elizabeth Llewellyn (Bess) and Kevin Short (Porgy). Philip Newton photo c/o Seattle Opera
Porgy and Bess, the first opera in Seattle Opera’s new season, is either loved as a pillar of the opera canon or reviled as a racist tool of oppression. Earlier this week I talked about the reasons for the differing opinions. Today I want to talk about the one thing everyone can agree on – the quality of Seattle Opera’s production of the divisive Porgy and Bess.
ByGD
Elizabeth Llewellyn (Bess) and Kevin Short (Porgy). Philip Newton photo c/o Seattle Opera
Porgy and Bess is the first opera in Seattle Opera’s 2018-2019 season, and probably the one I was most curious about. Like Madame Butterfly, Porgy and Bess is either loved as a pillar of the opera canon or reviled as a racist tool of oppression, depending on who you’re talking to. I couldn’t wait to find out which side of the fence I’d be on. As with most things, the answer is buried in nuance somewhere between the opposing views. In the end, I didn’t love Porgy and Bess, but not for the reasons you’d expect.