Porgy and Bess
Porgy and Bess is the rare American opera which is truly American. The music was written by George Gershwin who wrote many Broadway musicals throughout the 1920s with his brother Ira as lyricist, who wrote the lyrics for the set pieces within the opera. The text is by DuBose and Dorothy Heyward who had earlier collaborated on the play “Porgy” upon which the opera is based. “Porgy” derives from a novella of the same name by DuBose Heyward who lived in Charleston, South Carolina where the novella is set. The novella is a tale of the residents of Catfish Row, a fictionalized version of the real Cabbage Row, a set of buildings which was formerly resident to white aristocrats but has become home for the poorer black community.
The protagonist is Porgy, based on a real life resident named Samuel Smalls, a disabled beggar who uses a goat cart to travel. In the courtyard of Cabbage Row he gambles with the other residents including Crown, a rough man who is followed everywhere by a woman named Bess, who is addicted to drugs supplied by the New York drug dealer Sportin’ Life. Crown is drunk and high, and goes into a rage when the devout Catholic Serena’s husband Robbins wins the game, and kills the latter. Crown escapes from the police and Bess is left alone. Attempting to find shelter, she is let in by Porgy. Porgy gives her money to help pay for Robbins’ funeral. A month later, the fisherman Jake is mending his nets. He is married to Clara who has recently had a baby, to whom she sings the famous “Summertime”.
Everyone is going to a picnic on Kiawah Island but Porgy can’t manage the boat trip. He convinces Bess to go without him. At the picnic Bess is confronted by Crown who has been living on the island for the past month. She struggles with him, missing the boat back to the mainland, and he forcely kisses her. She is bitten by a snake and gets extremely sick causing her to be sent back to Catfish Row. Serena prays over and she eventually recovers. A hurricane begins causing everyone to seek shelter in Serena’s room. Crown appears and attempts to take Bess with him but Clara sees Jake’s boat overturned in the bay and rushes out into the storm, causing Crown to follow. Upon Crown’s return, Porgy murders him, and is dragged away by the police as a material witness. Sportin Life convinces Bess that Porgy will be hanged and lures her away to New York. Porgy arrives back from jail and decides to follow Bess to New York.
Porgy and Bess premiered on Broadway in 1935 to a large financial loss. However it has gradually built up a reputation as an American classic. Porgy and Bess premiered at the Met in 1985 in a production which was performed in repertory until 1990. In 2019 the Met produced James Robinson’s successful touring production of the work to great acclaim. It was truly fantastic with urgent conducting by David Robertson and a truly outstanding cast. This is the production which returns this season with the majority of the original cast. I must admit that I don’t find it as good as the first time. The cast takes a while to warm up particularly the Sportin’ Life and Maria. “Ain’t Necessarily So” lacks flair and Maria’s Spoken Aria isn’t as riveting as it should be. The two leads are excellent as normal but still the first act is a bit weak. The second, however, was absolutely gorgeous with “I Love You Porgy”, “The Vendor Calls” and “There’s a Boat That’s Leavin’ Soon For New York” terrifically sung. The staging has been faithfully recreated by the original directors which is interesting as it has a skeletal version of Catfish Row instead of the traditional courtyard setting.
This creative team also worked on Fire Shut Up In My Bones and I notice a few similarities between the two productions. Both feature abstract buildings on a center turntable which shift depending on the scene (this was done to a greater extent in Fire), a downstage area which on either side of the stage has benches, and finally the heavy use of projections. To conclude, if you have seen Porgy and Bess at the Met already there is no rush to see this revival, if you haven’t seen it yet then it is highly recommended.
Porgy and Bess runs until December 12.
Eurydice
Eurydice is a new opera at the Met. It is based on Sarah Ruhl’s reimagining of the Orpheus myth. Operas on the subject date back to the first surviving opera “Euridice” written by Peri and many more have come over the years. So what sets Eurydice apart? The story is from Eurydice’s point of view and the plot only takes the main points from the myth instead of an expansion of what’s already there.
Traditionally, the myth goes as follows. Orpheus, a great musician, is to be wedded to Eurydice. However Eurydice is bitten by a snake and dies. Orpheus follows Eurydice into the underworld and plays beautiful music so she can come back from the dead. There is a condition, he can’t look back at her. He does and she goes back to the underworld, but Orpheus soon joins her when he is killed by the Bacchantes.
The Ruhl libretto follows a different path, creating new characters and giving Eurydice more agency. The First Act starts with Eurydice and Orpheus playing on a beach. Orpheus ties a piece of string around her ring finger and she accepts his marriage proposal. The Wedding takes place and Eurydice is hot and gets a glass of water. Hades says he has a letter from her dead father and the two go to his “interesting apartement” in a high rise. Eurydice tricks Hades into giving her the letter and falls down the stairs and dies. There is no intermission after the first act. In the Second Act Eurydice has lost all her memory after walking through the River Lethe. Her father teaches her how to read, write, and remember. Orpheus decides to go bring back Eurydice and the act closes with his arrival. There is an intermission
The Third Act starts with Hades laying out the terms for Eurydice going back to earth. The couple departs and Eurydice looks and is drawn back to the underworld. The Father drowns himself in the River Lethe and Eurydice does the same. Orpheus has died and is walking through the river.
The opera, though it does have it’s slow points, is creative and imaginative with it’s retelling of the myth. To highlight the importance of language in the story the production features the text projected onto the stage. Other clever choices are the use of an elevator with a shower to represent the descent into the underworld and the crossing of the River Lethe. A particular delight is the use of three rocks who comment on the story but also participate in it. The music is an eclectic blend of modern and romantic styles which work extremely well with the “magical realism” of the libretto.
Eurydice is wonderful with talented singers who live in their roles. It is on a completely different level from some of the other works reviewed so far but is highly rewarding and definitely recommended.
EURYDICE runs until Dec. 16
Next Month’s Review will be Tosca
