![]() ![]() But humor instantly turned to sadness as Porgy shuffled around the stage on his crutches, cheerily singing about all the nothing he has. I smiled as Porgy sang, “I got plenty of nuttin’ and nuttin’s plenty for me,” because the words sounded fun and Kevin Deas interjected a happy and carefree note in his bass-baritone. More: Renowned singer Simon Estes announces his final opera performance and first in Iowa, in 'Porgy and Bess' ![]() I thrilled to hear and see Iowa's own Simon Estes, who was also producing adviser of the show, for the first time. ![]() 'Porgy and Bess' does touch on intensely human emotionsĮarly on, when Clara sings the "Summertime" lullaby, the words stir me and fill me with foreboding because I know they are a lie: In Catfish Row, the livin' is not easy and daddy and mummy will not be standin' by. I selected a premium seat and clicked BUY. ![]() And this is what makes Gershwin's opera so easy to love and so difficult to stay mad at." Yet it is the music that touches us and gets under our skin in such a way that it feels like a part of us. The opera touches on intensely human emotions that lead to both great passion and heart-wrenching devastation. To some extent, both assessments of the work are true. In "Black Opera," scholar Naomi André writes, "Over time, people have thought of 'Porgy and Bess' as the Great American Opera, as well as a frustrating collection of stereotypes that emphasize a vision of black people who speak a dialect-ridden English, drink and gamble too much, and have loose moral code. With English that seems reminiscent of that in minstrel shows rather than the Gullah it was purported to be and a plot that supports a Jim Crow-esque view of Black people, I was ready to move on.īut I couldn't move on, despite never having considered attending the opera before. At its simplest, it's a tragic love story between a disabled beggar and a woman struggling with drug addiction and abuse, set against a backdrop of poverty, gambling, and violence. The "Porgy and Bess" storyline did make my heart somewhat heavy with disappointment. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |