Spoleto Festival USA announces live broadcast of opera Porgy and Bess in Marion Square Monday, May 30 at 7:30pm
May 9, 2016
CHARLESTON, SC – Festival General Director Nigel Redden announced a live broadcast of opera Porgy and Bess onto a jumbotron screen in Marion Square on Monday, May 30. Thanks to generous sponsorship by Wells Fargo, the simulcast will be open to the public and free to attend.
The live broadcast of the performance taking place at the Charleston Gaillard Center will start at 7:30pm. The following night, Tuesday, May 31, the performance will be shown on a jumbotron screen at the West Ashley High School practice field at 7:30pm. This screening will also be free to attend.
Presented in association with Piccolo Spoleto Festival and the City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs, these events will significantly expand the audience for the highly-anticipated production that is part of the Festival’s 40th season. Additional sponsorship for this event has been provided by the Charleston Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, BET Networks/Viacom, and LiftOne.
“Last year, when I ran for mayor, I said that one of our goals should be to improve our citizens’ quality of life by making the arts more accessible to more residents in more areas of our city. Today, thanks to the Spoleto Festival USA and its sponsors, that vision is now starting to become a reality. Hats off to everyone involved in bringing this remarkable project together, and good luck and best wishes to the all the artists, performers, craftspeople and technicians who’ve been charged with creating such a magical night for our city and its people,” said Mayor Tecklenburg.
“The response to Spoleto Festival USA’s production of Porgy and Bess has been remarkable. Charlestonians feel a deep connection to this opera that is based on a story by DuBose Heyward, one of the city’s native sons, that so evocatively represents the people of the Lowcountry. We are excited that this simulcast into Marion Square and screening in West Ashley provide a way for many more members of the community to experience this production,” said Redden.
The announcement of the screenings was made at the Charleston Gaillard Center during a break in a rehearsal of the opera. The new production is directed by David Herskovits who directed the Obie Award-winning production of Mamba’s Daughters by Dorothy and DuBose Heyward that was presented at Spoleto Festival USA in 1999. Soprano Alyson Cambridge will sing the role of Bess and baritone Lester Lynch will sing Porgy. All three were present for the announcement.
The 40th season of Spoleto Festival USA opens Friday, May 27 and continues through Sunday, June 12. The six performances of Porgy and Bess are among over 150 performances to be presented in the city during this time encompassing opera, music, dance, and theater.
Attending the screenings
Porgy and Bess is approximately 3 hours, 15 minutes including an intermission. The opera contains adult themes.
Access to Marion Square will be via the entrances located at the corner of King and Calhoun Streets, and the corner of King and Meeting Streets. To best accommodate audience seating and public comfort, no hard-sided or wheeled coolers, canopies, or tents will be permitted. Attendees cannot bring alcohol into Marion Square, in keeping with City regulations.
West Ashley High School is located at 2060 W. Wildcat Blvd., Charleston. The screening will be held on the athletic practice field, adjacent to the west façade of the school building. Limited parking will be available. No alcohol is permitted on school property, including parking lots and athletic fields.
