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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.
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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.
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John Moore and Matthew Gills in Barber of Seville Photo by Philip Newton c/o Seattle Opera
Today I am sad. Berlioz’ opera Beatrice & Benedict opens at Seattle Opera tomorrow, and I don’t have tickets. I could not go on the day press tickets were offered, and I haven’t figured out how or if I will buy tickets for this production I really want to see. For today, I am consoling myself by looking at the 2018/19 opera season announcement. Read More