There is a ceiling, sometimes, to just how “cultured” I feel. Don’t get me wrong—I love a Broadway show, and New York City isn’t a museum capital of the world for nothing. My intellectual pursuits do blend with my nightlife (no, really). Try as I might, though, I sometimes wonder if I’m missing something when trying out truly “cultured” experiences around the city. (My friends and I once had an embarrassing moment when we went to a modern art museum and, outside of one amazing temporary exhibition, found ourselves sheepishly looking at each other and asking if we were really enjoying this. Then we got takeout and gossiped. Oops!)
This sums up how I thought I felt about the opera. Sure, I like the opera…I think. I live for the drama, obviously, and opera singers have got to be the best singers around. But there was always a ceiling to how much fun I could have, outside of the superiority complex you get from attending. Would I ever truly get it?
Enter Heartbeat Opera’s 10th Annual Drag Extravaganza, Orgy and Bess. All the talent of a classic opera but make it campy and fun and silly and weird. What if Bess from Porgy and Bess landed in 2025 NYC, met up with other reimagined opera legends, and confronted the tropes of opera together? This answers that question. I’m so glad they let me come along for the ride.
TWO GALS AT THE OPERA
I enlisted my best friend to accompany, which is perfect because she actually knows what she’s talking about. A college music major, I knew she’d make me seem much more knowledgeable than I actually am. You don’t need an encyclopedic operatic knowledge to understand this show, though, so it’s great for beginners. For more seasoned vets, there are plenty of inside jokes for you to enjoy, too.
We arrived at the historic Judson Memorial Church right across from Washington Square Park. Fun fact: Judson was a place of queer political gathering in the 60’s and 70’s, participated in pride under its own banner in the early 1970s, and was one of New York’s first compassionate church for those suffering with AIDs in the 1980s. A fitting place to house this event! It was an excellent host, shrouded in purple and pink lighting, and set simply with an orchestra on house left and a bare raised stage. It hit the right balance of big crowd feel and intimate gathering.
I LOVE drag shows for many reasons: the creativity, the artistry, the comedy, the energy of the crowd. The performers in this show hit all those beats, in an opera, and they did it with SPECTACULAR vocal chords and cleverly updated 200-year-old songs.
Creativity: Such a fun way to reimagine opera! I didn’t feel like I had to be an expert operatic devotee with my monocle and my top hat on. I loved that this was 90 minutes with no intermission. It is accessible and funny, but it doesn’t compromise on quality. Thumbs up.
Artistry: All the performers brought their A game for this one. Bess, played by Bernard Holcomb, sang with an incredibly rich tone and had my favorite reaction faces of the cast. Angela Yam as Cio-Cio-San had my favorite comedic timing (and my favorite outfits. Her outfits!!!). Lucia (Jamilyn Manning) hits notes I couldn’t dream of, and The Patroness (John Taylor Ward) had me in stitches. Sishel Claverie in the Pants Role had awesome chemistry when finally mixed with our familiar characters. I loved looking up each of the cast online afterwards and being blown away by their resumes. New Yorkers are freaking cool.
Comedy: I laughed out loud many times in this performance. If you don’t trust me, my best friend also laughed out loud many times in this performance.
Energy of the crowd: The room felt warm and inviting, and the performers really facilitated that feeling. They interacted with the crowd periodically in a way that felt fun and not gratuitous. I was seated right behind Lucia when she caressed and serenaded the man in front of me, clad in his orange beanie. Crowd members swooshed large fans when the performers resonated with them. We were part of the vibe. It felt like the perfect marriage of drag and opera.
We giggled, we laughed, we clapped, we cheered. An awesome outing to the ~opera~, thank you very much. Afterwards, we grabbed mantis at nearby Tashkent and debriefed in the park. Two positive experiences over here. We then met up with another friend for a drink, our good moods setting us up for a great rest of the night. Thanks, Heartbeat Opera!
I think you’d like it, too.
If you haven’t seen a single opera, I’m telling you: this is the place to start. Or maybe you’re sort of halfway there, like me? Heartbeat Opera is a great place to have fun and reimagine your expectations for the art form. Operatic experts, don’t fear: you’ll love this, too. The performers are too talented to disappoint you. Heartbeat Opera’s Drag Extravaganza did unfortunately wrap up this weekend (boo). But if you’re intrigued, Heartbeat Opera is staging an adaptation of Manon! on January 27–February 8th at The Space at Irondale in Brooklyn. It’s worth your time!
All above images credit to Russ Rowland
BAR RECOMMENDATION FOR THIS WEEKEND: Midway in Williamsburg
If you all go to Midway, can you promise to be cool? I don’t want anyone screwing up my reputation here. We all have a dive bar we have a soft spot for, and this is mine. I love the wall of pinball machines, even though I suck at pinball. I love how half the chairs are peeling and almost always scattered in a nonsensical way. I love the pool tables where I have scouted out Brooklyn men for my friends with a penchant for tattoos and mullets (results may vary). And most importantly, I love a photo booth! My entire fridge is cloaked with photobooth strips of my friends and I around a city, and only places I really like make The Fridge.
Reasonably priced drinks in a two-tiered space with lots of fun side quests. Come here before you go dancing or come here just to chill with the people you love. You’re in a great spot to hop to other dives if you so choose. And if you stop by, you may find me there, so say hi!