by
Paula Gail Benson
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| Rainbow Row |
Memorial
Day weekend signals the start of the Spoleto Festival in Charleston, SC, a
two-week celebration of all things musical, theatrical, and artistic. The Festival
began as the idea of opera composer Gian Carlo Menotti, who had initiated an
arts extravaganza in his native Italy and was looking to establish a similar
event in an American “sister city.”
Charleston’s
Mayor Joe Riley, who became nationally prominent for helping his city rebuild
after Hurricane Hugo and recently retired after ten terms of service, took up
Menotti’s challenge, realizing that such a festival would bring new hotels and
dining establishments to the Holy City, as well as bolstering a thriving
tourist economy for existing businesses. He was definitely right. Just so you
can appreciate the mayor’s vision, here are some samples of the Southern
hospitality and cuisine I enjoyed while attending Spoleto this year.
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| Eli's Table Restaurant |
At
Eli’s Table, I had a Caesar salad alongside fried oysters over black-eyed peas
with sweet potato straws and a butter barbecue sauce. In addition to a
delectable mojito, my server brought me a complimentary glass of champagne and
an apricot-colored rose.
Then,
a block up the street, at Toast, I stopped for a lovely dessert of red velvet
cupcake with a crème brulee latte. Truly, a magnificent feast, and so necessary
for maintaining energy to enjoy the productions!
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| Toast Restaurant |
I
began attending Spoleto to see the performances of the Irish Gate Theatre
Company at the Dock Street Theatre. This year’s The Importance of Being Earnest featured a polished acting ensemble
and innovative staging. It was a joy from start to finish.
The
major event of the festival was the return of Porgy and Bess to the city that inspired it. Presented in the newly
renovated Galliard Auditorium, the opera, based on the novel by DuBose Heyward
and with lyrics and music by Ira and George Gershwin, is set in an area of
Charleston known as Cabbage Row, but renamed Catfish Row in the fictional
account.
Porgy,
a disabled street vendor who navigates the city in his goat cart, falls in love
with the beautiful, abused Bess while her violent ex-lover Crown and “happy
dust” provider Sportin’ Life seek to tear the couple apart.
The
passion of the story and beauty of the music were captivating and visually
enhanced by the vividly colorful designs of artist Jonathan Green. To
experience Porgy and Bess in its
birthplace, and in a venue directly across the street from the Mother Emanuel
AME Church, only deepened the opera’s message that when facing the most
insurmountable odds, there is still hope for the future. I felt very fortunate
to attend the last matinee performance. At the curtain call, the audience
jumped to its feet for the chorus and provided thunderous applause for the
entire company.
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| Catfish Row |
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| Porgy's Alley |
(2) the alley where the real Porgy lived, and
(3) the house where DuBose Heyward wrote his novel.
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| Colbert Home |
Of course, being Charleston, a number of other attractions were included in the tour, such as the home where Stephen Colbert grew up; a house formerly owned by Thomas Ravenel, featured on Bravo’s series Southern Charm; the garden of the Calhoun mansion; and a Philip Simmons wrought iron gate.
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| Philip Simmons' gate |
If
you ever have the opportunity to visit Charleston, SC, come to experience its
rich history and culture. And, if you are there during Spoleto, take time to
ignore the heat and indulge in the marvelous variety of incredible
performances.
Do
you have a special festival that transports you from the everyday to the
extraordinary?
[For more about my fitness training to tackle the two-hour Porgy and Bess tour, see yesterday's blog message for The Stiletto Gang!]
[For more about my fitness training to tackle the two-hour Porgy and Bess tour, see yesterday's blog message for The Stiletto Gang!]
