Just
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▼ July 2 1 . 1 9 0 5 ▼ 27
BRIAN MARKI FRAMING
21 YEARS EXPERIENCE
A N D SERVICE TO THE COMM UNITY
O versize w o rk o u r specialty
2236 NE Broadway, Portland
503-249-5659
your MORTGAGE professional:
Alvy Powell as Porgy and Marquita Lister as Bess
I t ’ s “S ummertime ” T ime
The controversial but perennial favorite Porgy and Bess
returns to the Portland stage
▼
by Christopher Kamera.
heart and soul of Porgy and Bess is the unlikely
rejudice, intolerance, unacceptable ro
love between the “cripple,” Porgy, and the “fallen
mantic pairings and negative stereo
woman,” Bess. And Clarke—and the Houston
types are major themes that gay and
team—keep the focus on the title characters.
lesbian opera fans will identify with
All four of the major characters are double
during the Portland stay of Porgy and
and Portland audiences are likely to see any
Bess. The Gershwin brothers’ immortal cast,
work
mix of the eight leads. Earlier this year, more than
continues at the Portland Civic Auditorium with
35,000 cheering Seattle Opera fans welcomed the
performances through July 29.
Houston production of Porgy and Bess to 11 sold-
This staging, co-produced by 10 major U.S.
out performances at the Opera House. Specific
opera companies including Portland Opera, is the
performance comments are based on the perfor
mances in the Emerald City.
On opening night Alvy Powell was an impres
sive Porgy and Roberta Laws, a successful Bess.
Both sang beautifully, and their “Bess, You Is My
Woman Now” was a highlight of the show. It’s
first to be directed by an African American— and
one of the most moving love duets in all of opera,
it may be the first to be directed by a woman.
and Laws and Powell were simply magnificent.
Hope Clarke, a former dancer and Broadway
Stacey Robinson was an unforgettable
actress with impressive choreography and opera
Crown— all muscle and energy. His powerful
direction in her r6sum6, serves the George and Ira
stage presence made Bess’ sexual turmoil thor
Gershwin classic well. Porgy and Bess blends
oughly b eliev able.
folk opera, Broadway
R o b in so n ’s singing,
musical comedy and
however, was clearly
grand opera into a dis
amplified— one of the
tinctive package. A lim
controversial aspects of
ited, mixed success in
the co-production. An
its 1935 debut, Porgy
gela R. Simpson gave a
a n d B ess has been
show -sto p p in g “ My
called in recent years
Man’s Gone Now” that
the greatest opera ever
brought
the audience to
written in this country,
—
a roar of applause.
even though some crit
K im berly Jones
ics feel that the opera is
opened the production
a derogatory depiction
with a properly under
of black life written by
played “Summertime,”
whites. While critics
the best-known song of the score. Larry Marshall’s
will be debating those claims for decades— if not
Sportin’ Life was a crowd-pleaser, even though
centuries— to come, there is no doubt that Porgy
his
big numbers, “It Ain’t Necessarily So” and
and Bess is the most popular U.S. opera ever
"There’s a Boat That’s Leavin’ Soon for New
written. A much heralded 1976 Houston Grand
Y ork,” were difficult to understand. Keith
Opera revival returned the work to the top of
popularity, this 1995 mounting will clearly keep
Crawford scored with an amusing scene about a
lawyer who charges more to “divorce” unmarried
it there.
couples than married ones.
Clarke’s stage direction keeps Gershwin’s
Ticket details are available from Portland
original concepts stage center, while adding a bit
Opera at 241-1802. It’s interesting to note that
of Broadway pizzazz in some of the ensemble
when Porgy and Bess sold out in Seattle this
numbers. While the new production may go a bit
spring, Portland Opera ran ads in both major
overboard in being politically correct, to reverse
Seattle daily papers advertising its summer per
dated stereotypes, Clarke’s work helps bring Porgy
and Bess vividly to life. No matter how many
formance dates in the City of Roses. The company
snappy songs are sung by secondary characters,
noted “good response” from the Seattle ads—
no matter how lively the citizens of Catfish Row
demonstrating once again the importance of the
become on Saturday night, no matter how many
arts on the 1-5 corridor.
folk legends influenced the original concept, the I
P
This staging, co-produced
by 10 major U.S. opera
companies including
Portland Opera, is the
first to be directed by an
African American
and it may be the first to
be directed by a woman.
Julee Felsman
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The N ation al L a w yers Guild
Lesbian, Gay B isex u a l R igh ts C om m ittee
presents
INVASION FROM MARS
starring
New York Performance Artist
& Renowned Drag King
SHELLY
MARS
an amalgamation of stunning
characters of all genders
“An after-hours
Lily Tomlin.”
Amy Täubin, Village Voice
“The personification of
America’s Moral Rot!”
Pat Robertson,
Christian Broadcast News
FRIDAY, AUGUST 11
8 p.m.
GOVERNOR HOTEL
PORTLAND, OREGON
TICKETS: $15.00 before July 15, $20 at the door.
$10.00 with Student ID (at drx>r only)
Send check payable to NLG Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Rights Committee, to: NLG Lesbian,
Gay, Bisexual Rights Committee • 257 West 12th Street, No. 3E • New York, NY 10014
Reservations encouraged. Tickets not mailed. Names will be listed at d<x)r Proceeds to benefit the
NLG Lesbian. Gay, Bisexual Rights Committee, working within the progressive ¿4 legal communities for
lesbian, gay bisexual rights