The opera’s fame stands in contrast to the centuries of operatic work by non-white composers, many of whom have yet achieve the recognition they deserve. Porgy and Bess was written by a white man in the 1930s and is known to promulgate negative stereotypes of Black communities.

But the opera's continued popularity raises ongoing questions about diversity in the art form. This forced theaters to confront segregation both on stage and off. Under pressure to cast Black characters with white actors, Gershwin made it a contractual obligation that the opera be performed by a Black cast. Porgy and Bess also has a complicated history to reckon with. The opera’s timeless, mournful music makes it a standout and earns it a well-deserved place on this list. In this groundbreaking opera, Porgy, a disabled beggar, and Bess, a woman scarred by domestic abuse, try to build a life together in a fictional Black neighborhood in 1920s Charleston called Catfish Row-a task that ultimately proves impossible. This feat alone earns it a spot on our best operas list!ĩ. The opera's popularity was apparent from the start: When it premiered, San Francisco Opera added two additional performances to the initial seven to keep up with demand. opera of the 21st century, with 60 different productions staged on five continents. With its use of modernist classical music styles, powerful silences, and lively American vernacular, Dead Man Walking has become the most performed U.S. The result-which had its world premiere at San Francisco's War Memorial Opera House-tells the true story of Sister Helen Prejean, a Louisiana nun who became the spiritual advisor to a convicted criminal on Angola’s death row. He would be working alongside Tony winner Terrence McNally, who was hired to write the libretto. Dead Man Walking by Jake Heggie, 2000Ī rising composer, Jake Heggie was working in San Francisco Opera's public relations office when then-general director Lotfi Mansouri offered him the opportunity of a lifetime: a commission to write his first opera.

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