Lyric Opera of Kansas City Unveils PORGY AND BESS Community Engagement Events

Lyric Opera of Kansas City has announced a lineup of community engagement events in advance of its upcoming production of PORGY AND BESS. The programs are designed to explore the history, music, and cultural legacy of the opera, which will be presented for the first time in the company’s history.

The Gershwins’ PORGY AND BESS will be performed February 28, March 6, and March 8 at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. In conjunction with the production, Lyric Opera of Kansas City will present events through its “Community Conversations” and “Opera Dives Deep” series.

The first event, Community Conversation: Porgy and Bess in Context, will take place Tuesday, February 17, from 6 to 7 p.m., with a reception beginning at 5:30 p.m., at the Kansas City Public Library Plaza Branch. The discussion will examine the opera’s origins, its depiction of a Black community in early 20th-century Charleston, and questions of representation, authorship, and cultural impact. Panelists include Dr. Paul Laird, Michael Ellis Ingram, and Dr. Howard Pollack, with live musical performance included.

An Opera Dives Deep: From Story to Song program will follow on Monday, February 23, from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Kirk Family YMCA in downtown Kansas City. Led by Dr. Paul Laird, the session will focus on the creation of PORGY AND BESS, the collaboration between George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin, and DuBose Heyward, and the work’s enduring place in American opera.

A second Opera Dives Deep event, Meet the Artists of Porgy and Bess, will be held Monday, March 2, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Black Archives of Mid-America. Speakers will include Dr. Roger Williams, Michael Ellis Ingram, Michelle Bradley, and Eric Greene, followed by a Q&A with members of the cast and creative team.

Lyric Opera of Kansas City General Director and CEO Deborah Sandler Kemper said the opera’s themes and history provide an opportunity for meaningful community dialogue, noting that PORGY AND BESS remains a defining work in American opera with continued relevance today.