Opera Philadelphia’s revival of Gershwin’s ‘Let ‘Em Eat Cake’ will have a second run in New York
The story — about a U.S. president who doesn’t accept the election results, establishes a dictatorship and renovates the White House — was meant at the time as satire.
Opera Philadelphia has taken on a new creative partner for its upcoming production of the Gershwin brothers’ rarely performed Let ‘Em Eat Cake. After a January run at the Academy of Music, the musical will be presented by New York City Center as part of its “Encores!” series with 15 performances in March, both companies announced Wednesday.
Let ‘Em Eat Cake is a natural fit for Encores!, which specializes in the revival of American musicals. For Opera Philadelphia, where musical theater is more of a novelty, the partnership could open up possibilities for casting, which isn’t yet set.
“I think that because City Center is such an established brand in this world, it could attract certain famous names and people that I don’t have connections to or that might not otherwise consider coming to what is an opera company,” said Opera Philadelphia general director and president Anthony Roth Costanzo.
In this first ever collaboration between the two arts organizations, the production could be the same in both places, or not — it is yet to be fleshed out — but there will be at least some differences. The orchestra and chorus in Philadelphia will be larger, and the conductor will be different in each city (Corrado Rovaris in Philadelphia, Rob Berman in New York).
Still, for both, director Zack Winokur “will develop the whole concept and idea for the production,” said Costanzo.
Partnering with City Center will yield a “financial benefit” for Opera Philadelphia, he said. “We share costs. We bring in partnership revenue and that helps to cover the costs of what we’re trying to do.”
Let ‘Em Eat Cake, written by George and Ira Gershwin with a book by George S. Kaufman and Morrie Ryskind, premiered on Broadway in 1933 and, despite a memorably melodic score and sharp social and political commentary, hasn’t been heard much since. The story — about a U.S. president who doesn’t accept the election results, establishes a dictatorship and renovates the White House — was meant at the time as satire.
Opera Philadelphia has never before produced a Broadway show, though it has a strong track record with works that don’t fall into neat categories.
“Somebody said to me the other day, ’Is this an opera or is it a musical?’ And I said, ‘Well, I’m not really here to gate-keep opera,’” said Costanzo. “I think it’s storytelling through music, and that’s what opera fundamentally is.”
“Let ‘Em Eat Cake” runs Jan. 29, 30 and 31 at the Academy of Music, Broad and Locust Sts., operaphila.org; and at New York City Center, 131 W. 55th St., March 17-28, nycitycenter.org.
