Lyric Opera presents PORGY AND BESS.
PORGY AND BESS is about the residents of Catfish Row in South Carolina. They struggle in racially influenced poverty. To endure the challenging times, the black folks have established a tight community. The gals anchor their homes in religious fervor. The guys gamble for a better future playing craps. They tolerate a drug dealer, Sportin’ Life. They revere a cripple, Porgy. But they have no time for a gin-swilling, happy-dust-snorting slut, Bess.
First performed in 1935, PORGY AND BESS has the traditional operatic elements; unrequited love, murder by stabbing, persecution by authority. The team of George Gershwin, DuBose and Dorothy Heyward and Ira Gershwin create the twentieth century opera with contemporary true grit. The hero is a cripple trying to rescue a slut. The murder is not a stabbing by sword. It’s a cotton hook. The authority isn’t a nobleman. It’s a cruel white man referred to as ‘boss.’
I worried about this soulful, sexy musical translating onto the majestic Lyric stage because it’s dirty. Not the crass kind of dirt because Lyric is not prudish. They go lewd if the production would benefit. I mean the ‘dirty’ that is filthy, soiled, unclean, last week’s undies ickiness. I’ve seen PORGY AND BESS done perfectly as a steamy, soulful musical on stark sets with simple costumes. Within that space, the raw emotion of heartache was sung so intensively, I wept.
In some ways, the grandiosity of the Lyric and even the formality of the operatic style disconnects from the emotionality of the story. It’s like throwing a mink coat over a shivering waif. We forget about the waif’s troubles because we are transfixed by the mink. Still, who doesn’t love a mink? Lyric’s PORGY AND BESS is dignified destitution.
Director Francesca Zambello sets this stellar production in the 1950s. Her creative team provide fascinating visuals. Set Designer Peter J. Davison creates this shanty fortress. It’s mammoth in size but still has vulnerability. Davison creates a bi-level, metal patchwork to show tenement living. Lighting Designer Mark McCullough uses lights and shadows to set-up haunting and hopeful reflections. McCullough uses a buzzard’s arrival to change the complete tone of the stage. He bathes the stage in colorless hues. The bleakness is like going from technicolor to black-and-white mid film. In another unforgettable visual, Choreographer Denni Sayers provides a poignant and stunning sequence when Hlengiwe Mkhwanazi (Clara) reunites with Norman Garret (Jake). The two rise above the sea of chorus and try to clasp hands as rolling waves of humans keep them apart.
Zambello uses a large and terrific chorus for robust harmonies and community living. Under the baton of Ward Stare, the music lulls and swells as living, loving and dying take up residence on Catfish Row. Mkhwanazi sets the mood with a sultry “Summertime” opening. Later, the moxie matriarch, Gwendolyn Brown (Maria) delivers hilarity and spunk with a bawdy “I hate your struttin’ style.” Brown sings and swings a knife around impressively and effortlessly.
This show is about a love triangle -no- square as the mesmerizing Adina Aaron (Bess) morphs into the woman of three men’s dreams. With the smarmy Jermaine Smith (Sportin‘ Life), Aaron is the high energy party girl. When Eric Greene (Crown) is around she is reduced to sex slave. Their toxic passion climaxes into a powerful illustration right before the intermission. They’ve had an aggressive tussle. As the curtain is coming down, Greene carries her off. Against her will? Or consensual? We’re uncertain.
Aaron’s complex portrayal of Bess brought a dimensionality to the character that I’ve never experienced before. Through Aaron, I experienced Bess with much more empathy. In other productions, I’ve seen Bess as using Porgy. In this show, I was invested in the steadfast love between Aaron and Eric Owens (Porgy). Owens charms as the lovestruck hero. He sings a content and peppy “I got plenty of nothing.” Later, he sings a heartfelt “Bess, you is my woman now.” Owens beautifully conveys a no-strings-attached, unconditional love. When Aaron is with Owens and even when she’s not, I see them together, a shared destiny. I haven’t always perceived the reciprocal love and need in the pairing of Porgy and Bess. Owens and Aaron makes me a believer in the eternal coupling.
Lyric’s PORGY AND BESS is a first-rate operatic rendition of a steamy, soulful musical.
Running Time: Three hours and fifteen minutes includes an intermission
At Lyric Opera, 20 N. Wacker
By George Gershwin, DuBose and Dorothy Heyward and Ira Gershwin
Opera in three acts in English
Conducted by Ward Stare
Directed by Francesca Zambello
At 7:30pm on November 23rd and December 2nd, 5th, 8th, 13th, 16th, 20th
At 2pm on November 23rd, 26th, 28th and December 11th, 18th
Buy Tickets at www.lyricopera.org
Production photo by Todd Rosenberg
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