The show had 0 homophobia, and I feel like the other commentor is painting a negative light on this Opera for this reason. The 'cure' and baptism was in that the main character explored his sexuality and maturity after having been molested by his male older cousin- he was interested in girls and was assaulted. Yes, men can be assaulted by men too. The healing and the way his extended family handle his 'peculiar' mannerisms, the mannerisms that unfortunately caught the eye of this predatory older cousin, was that he was a sweet, young, joyful, black boy at the age of 9. I feel as though a lot of the audience, as they grow with him to his collegiate years and into adulthood the nuances of blackness and Black culture would me misunderstood. Beautiful set design, wonderful elements of jazz and step found in HBCU culture.

There was no warning on the playbill that the main storyline centers around child abuse, which I’m sure was a shocking and very disturbing surprise for most audience members last night. But to compound matters the. we have the horrible trope that within the African-American community male homosexuality is not accepted, but something to be treated and ‘cured’ with either prayer and baptism, or forced congregation with women. How in this day and age the Met can feel it appropriate to mount this production is shocking.