Few works in American music carry as much weight — or as much controversy — as Porgy & Bess, and this event at the Gaillard Center digs into the story behind the story. Set against the backdrop of Charleston's own Gullah community, the opera has sparked decades of debate about authorship, representation, and cultural ownership that rarely makes it into the spotlight.
This presentation peels back the layers on how the work came to be, who shaped it, and what gets left out of the standard narrative. It's a compelling fit for the Gaillard, one of Charleston's premier performing arts venues and a space with its own deep ties to the city's cultural history.